Whispers

Jets run defense no San Francisco treat

The Jets showed a lot of grit and fortitude in coming back from a 17-3 deficit to beat the 49ers, 23-17, in overtime, but their run defense in this game was troubling and somewhat shocking.

San Francisco RB Carlos Hyde finished with 193 rushing yards, including runs of 47, 25 and 20 yards.

And if you don’t believe us that this performance was shocking, ask 49ers coach Chip Kelly.

“We didn’t think we could (run the ball against them),” Kelly said. “I was really — to be honest with you — a little bit surprised at how well we ran the ball. They were the fourth-best rush defense coming in.”

Aside from the Jets having a good run defense, another reason the 49ers didn’t think they could run the ball was the absence of their best offensive lineman, Joe Staley, who missed the game with a groin injury.

And when they lost center Daniel Kilgore in the first quarter, they must have been thinking there would be no way to run the ball well.

Yet, they kept having success. Then the 49ers lost talented tight end Vance Mc Donald to a shoulder injury, and figured the running game is toast, but guess what, they kept dominating.

And then when they lost their deep threat at wide receiver, Torrey Smith (4.36 speed), to a concussion in the third quarter, you had to figure the running domination might stop at that point. After all, now the Jets could keep an extra safety in the box because the 49ers’ fastest receiver was out of the mix. They wouldn’t have to worry about the only guy on the 49ers who could truly “take the top off the defense,” like scouts like to say about deep threats.