Two (2).  That’s the record for fewest rushing TDs a defense has allowed over a season. 

Three (3) teams have managed to hold opponents to a total of 2 rushing TDs all season. 

No team has managed the feat in 40 years.  Record holders are:

Detroit Lions: 1934

Dallas Cowboys: 1968

Minnesota Vikings: 1971

I got the information from here, an iron clad source that has never been and will never be wrong. 

The 49ers have yet to allow a rushing TD this season.  I thought it’d be good to look at who we’ve faced, and then who we have left to get an idea of the chances of breaking this record.

NOTE: IT HAS BEEN POINTED OUT THAT ALL THREE RECORD HOLDERS PLAYED 14 GAMES OR LESS. 4 IS THE RECORD FOR A 16 GAME SEASON.  POINT OF THE FANPOST IS TO COMPARE THE RUNNING BACKS WE'VE FACED WITH THE RUNNING BACKS WE'RE GOING TO FACE TO SEE HOW GOOD A SHOT WE HAVE A THE RECORD (ANY RECORD).

Who We’ve Faced:

Week 1 - Seattle Seahawks – Marshawn Lynch

Rank:   T-12 in NFL with 4 Rushing TDs

26 in NFL with 398 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         13.9                 56.9                 4.1

               Against 49ers:             13                    33                    2.5

Notes: Was not 100% entering the game and was injured during.  Will be a much more difficult back next time we face him

Week 2 – Dallas Cowboys – Demarco Murray

            Rank:   T-45 in NFL with 1 Rushing TD

                        13 in NFL with 539 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         10                    67.4                 6.7

               Against 49ers:             6                      21                    3.5

Notes: Was injured during the game and a rookie, had break out game against the Rams that has padded his stats.

Week 3 – Cincinnati Bengals – Cedric Benson

            Rank:   T-25 in NFL with 2 Rushing TDs

                        14 in NFL with 536 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         19.6                 76.6                 3.9

               Against 49ers:             17                    64                    3.8

            Notes: Tough RB, but ageing; used to be a much bigger threat.

Week 4 – Philadelphia Eagles – LeSean McCoy

Rank:   2 in NFL with 8 Rushing TDs

                        4 in NFL with 754 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         19.3                 107.7               5.6

               Against 49ers:             9                      18                    2.0

Notes: One of the best backs in the NFL.  McCoy’s lack of production is why the 49ers were able to stay in the game and sneak out a win.  49ers also allowed Vick to run for 72 yards, more than any RB this season.

Week 5 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – LeGarrette Blunt

Rank:   T-17 in NFL with 3 Rushing TDs

                        25 in NFL with 400 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         15                    66.7                 4.4

               Against 49ers:             10                    34                    3.4

Notes: Sophomore slump.  Teams have film on him this season and he seems unable to adjust.  He may be a more dangerous back next year.

Week 6 – Detroit Lions – Javid Best

Rank:   T-25 in NFL with 2 Rushing TDs

                        27 in NFL with 390 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         14                    65                    4.6

               Against 49ers:             12                    37                    3.1

Notes: Was on his way to a breakout season until he met up with the 49ers and the same old injury concerns resurfaced.

Week 7 - BYE

Week 8 - Cleveland Browns – Montario Hardesty (Peyton Hillis injured)

Rank:   No Rushing TDs

                        46 in NFL with 244 yards (Tebow has 277 yards to put that in prospective)

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         10.7                 34.9                 4.4

               Against 49ers:             2                      6                      3.0

Notes: I like Hardesty in college.  If he could ever heal and get to 100% he could be a great NFL back.  Unfortunately, doesn’t look like he’ll ever get there.

Week 9 – Washington Redskins – Roy Helu (Tim Hightower injured)

Rank:   No Rushing TDs

                        59 in NFL with 172 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         4.6                   21.5                 4.6

               Against 49ers:             10                    41                    4.1

Notes: Hightower was having a good season.  Helu looks like he has the potential to be another local bay area product that was our future.

Who’s Left:

Week 10 – New York Giants – Ahmad Bradshaw

Rank:   T-8 in NFL with 5 Rushing TDs

                        21 in NFL with 440 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         15.9                 62.9                 4.0

Notes: Dangerous in the redzone, as his stats show.  Low yardage back just hammers his way forward.

Week 11 – Arizona Cardinals – Beanie Wells

Rank:   T-3 in NFL with 7 Rushing TDs

                        16 in NFL with 526 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         17.6                 75.1                 4.2

Notes: Was having a breakout year until injury concerns resurfaced.  He will be healthy against us in at least one of the games. This is not the same player we’ve seen in years past.

Week 12 – Baltimore Ravens – Ray Rice

Rank:   T-6 in NFL with 6 Rushing TDs

                        15 in NFL with 532 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         16.6                 66.5                 4.0

Notes: Similar to Ahman Bradshaw, Rice doesn’t put up big yards, he just hammers forward and finds a way into the endzone.  

Week 13 – St. Louis Rams – Steven Jackson

Rank:   T-12 in NFL with 4 Rushing TDs

                        12 in NFL with 579 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         16.1                 82.7                 5.1

Notes: Jackson’s stats are amazing when you consider he missed the first three games.  As always, he will be very difficult to contain.

Week 14 – Pittsburgh Steelers – Rashard Mendenhall

Rank:   T-12 in NFL with 4 Rushing TDs

                        19 in NFL with 473 yards

                                                Attempts         Yards/Game    Yards/Att

Season Average:         15                    59.1                 3.9

Notes: Good back, but containable.  

Week 15 – Arizona Cardinals – Beanie Wells (Stats Above)

Week 16 – Seattle Seahawks – Marshawn Lynch (Stats Above)

Week 17 – St. Louis Rams – Steven Jackson (Stats Above)

Conclusion:

Trends that make me worry:

-    49ers have faced relatively mediocre running backs on the whole

-    From here on out 49ers face a top 21 back or higher for yards each game

-    From here on out 49ers face a top 12 back or higher for TDs each game

Trends that give me hope

-    49ers have managed to keep every back below his season average in attempts, yards a game and yards per attempt

-    49ers managed to contain LeSean McCoy, currently a top 5 back in the NFL

-    49ers should have big leads in NFC west games, minimizing the risk of a rushing TDS, as teams will pass more frequently.

I’d love to see the 49ers get a record of 0, the best any team would ever be able to do in the future is tie and 49ers would solidify another spot in the record books.