As we get ready to welcome the NFL playoff weekend with the NFC Championship on the line, the San Francisco 49ers get set take on the Atlanta Falcons. The matchup features notorious running backs, but the 49ers hold the edge on the ground over the Falcons as they possess the superior Frank Gore.
Gore discretely went for 119 yards and a touchdown in the Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. There is no doubt that the 49ers have mastered the pistol formation which also helped Robert Griffin III plenty in Washington with the Redskins. With this trickery in store, the 49ers will out rush the Falcons in Sunday's game.
Gore had the 49ers with the fourth best running game in the league in 2012. At age 29, he is still one of the more dominant backs in the NFL.
The Falcons are more of a passing team, to say the least, having rushed for only 87 yards per game. Matt Ryan had the sixth best passing game (281 p/g) in the league which is their primary form of attack.
Michael Turner was flirting with a 100-yard rushing game against the Seattle Seahawks, but he fell short going for 98 yards on 14 carries. Turner hasn't rushed for 100 yards since Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys when he gained 102 yards.
Predictions: Because the 49ers passing game is packed with multiple weapons, look for the run game to open up things up. Not only will the Falcons have to worry about Gore, but Colin Kaepernick has proven to be a force on the ground.
Together, Gore and Kaepernick will combine for at least 250 yards of rushing. If the Falcons blink and leave either of these two uncovered, then they will more than likely finish getting eliminated from Super Bowl contention
