There aren’t many players more familiar with the San Francisco 49ers offense than fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who has been with the club since signing as a free agent in 2017.
This season has been a little different than the last couple of years for the 49ers’ offense. They’re without reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, they’re struggling to score touchdowns in the red zone, and their trademark yards-after-catch haven’t been there.
Instead, San Francisco and quarterback Brock Purdy are pushing the ball down the field more often and finding throws outside the middle of the field where they’ve typically thrived.
Juszczyk joined the Candlestick Chronicles podcast with POM Wonderful pomegranate juice and explained that the changing offense is due to normal evolution, but it’s also a response to how they’re being defended.
“Like everything I think it’s a combination of both,” Juszczyk said. “I think when you speak about the YAC numbers, it’s harder to get yards after catch or contact when you’re throwing the ball downfield more. Whereas when you get these short dump-offs, and that’s where it’s kinda easier to gets yards after catch because defenses are further back.
“And yeah I think for so many years we were known for these in-breaking routes, throwing the ball over the middle, like that was most definitely our bread and butter. So teams are gonna start to adjust to that, and it’s just kinda natural that we start throwing out-breaking routes. It’s a cyclical thing and I’m sure that by the end of the season throwing the ball over the middle is gonna be our bread and butter again. It’s always gonna continue to go back and forth. It’s a chess match. So that’s where I really do think it’s a little bit of both. It’s the evolution of the offense. It’s Brock being more comfortable in the pocket, staying in there longer to take shots downfield. It’s how teams play us. It’s always a little bit of everything.”
Finding a way to utilize shorter throws and create more yards after catch may be the ultimate key to the 49ers’ success this season.
Purdy has already shown the ability to stretch defenses vertically. If they can supplement that with the short game and YAC they’ve been so good with the last few years, it might make them the best offense in the league.