Can the 49ers Shut Down the New York Jets Rushing Attack?

It's not secret how the Jets will try to attack the 49ers defense on Monday night.

Dec 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) carries the ball during the first half against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It's not secret how the Jets will try to attack the 49ers defense on Monday night.

Aaron Rodgers is 40, he's coming off a torn Achilles and he hasn't played in a year. New York is going to run the ball as much as possible. And that's a good strategy against the 49ers.

The 49ers have an elite defense, but not against the run. Last season, they gave up a whopping 5.1 yards per carry in the playoffs. If the Lions had been more committed to running the ball in the second half of the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers might not have pulled off the 17-point comeback.

Now the 49ers defense seems even more vulnerable against the run. Leonard Floyd and De'Vondre Campbell are two new additions to the defense who excel against the pass and struggle against the run. In addition, George Odum most likely will be starting at strong safety, and he's not a great run defender, either.

Meanwhile, the Jets have Breece Hall, who gained 1,595 yards from scrimmage and scored 9 touchdowns last season. He's their Christian McCaffrey. Which means the offense goes through him even though they have a future Hall of Fame quarterback.

So the 49ers have to have a plan to stop the Jets rushing attack. Maybe they need to load the box or use a five-man front or do something out of the ordinary. But if they sit back and let Hall average five yards per carry, they'll lose. You can count on that.