49ers Provide Daunting Challenge to Falcons Rushing Attack

The Atlanta Falcons will be tested Sunday when trying to run the ball against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Atlanta Falcons have put together one of the best rushing attacks five games into the 2022 campaign. The Falcons are fourth in the NFL in rushing after averaging 164.6 yards on the ground.

Even without their leading rusher Cordarrelle Patterson, the Falcons still notched 151 rushing yards during their Week 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Patterson missed the Falcons' road contest due to a knee injury.

But amid their Week 6 battle against the 3-2 San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons will be going up against the NFL's most promising team at stopping the run.

"They do a great job of getting people off track," coach Arthur Smith said. "It’s a very physical front, they do a great job of blowing up double teams, blowing up edges. I think there’s a lot of things, there’s a lot of people, schemes that get attention." 

San Francisco has possessed arguably the league's best defensive team in 2022. The 49ers have given up an average of 12.2 points while holding their opponents to a league-best 71.4 yards on the ground.   

Atlanta's Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers marked the only time the franchise failed to eclipse over 100 rushing yards in a game. 

The Falcons had to rely upon their passing attack in a 31-27 defeat to the Chargers. Atlanta recorded 196 receiving yards, with rookie Drake London leading the way with 86 yards on eight catches and a touchdown.  

"I think they have one of the best d-line coaches in all of football in Kris Kocurek, and I think if you go back and look at what success he’s had in San Francisco," Smith said. "We’ve got our work cut out for us. But we’re excited about the challenge." 

The 49ers and Falcons kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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