49ers-Cowboys recap: Geep Chryst goes heavy on the run game

The second preseason game for the San Francisco 49ers was a very run based offensive game plan. After much talk of Colin Kaepernick working with Kurt Warner in the off season, and the addition of deep threat Torrey Smith to the offense, fans are wondering when they will see more of a passing game from their team.

There were 38 rushing attempts by the 49ers offense, 33 if you subtract those made by the quarterbacks. There were only 17 pass attempts by all three QBs combined. If we subtract out the QB runs, that means the 49ers were passing 34 percent of the time.

The 49ers totaled 155 yards on the ground while only gaining 50 net yards in the air. 29 of those 50 yards passing were from one completion between Dylan Thompson and Busta Anderson in the 4th quarter. If you take that one completion out of the equation, which was also 26 yards after catch, the 49ers gained only 21 yards on 16 pass attempts. 50 yards passing out of the 205 total is easy math, about 25%. Again taking out that one reception by Anderson, you then have 21 yards passing out of 176 which brings you down to a paltry 12% passing yards of the total. If I've lost you, here's a quick chart:

49ers total yards: 205
Rushing yards: 155
Passing yards: 50
25% yards passing

Taking out the one completion D. Thompson to B. Anderson

49ers total yards: 176
Rushing yards: 155
Passing yards: 21
11.9% yards passing

Again it's only Week 2 and head coach Jim Tomsula remarked that the offensive line was "still sorting out a couple things, but those guys are doing a nice job." Another factor is that the RB group, minus Reggie Bush and Kendall Hunter, both of which didn't play in game two, is very inexperienced. Carlos Hyde is the lone back with game experience. The other three ball carriers were rookies Jarryd Hayne and Mike Davis, and Kendall Gaskins, who only has practice squad experience.

Kaepernick would not admit to any plan that it was going to be a heavy run game plan saying, "We just execute what's called. Whatever the game plan is, whatever is called in, that's what we're going to do and we're going to do it to the best of our ability."

Maybe it's a combination of getting the running backs more experience running between the tackles and finding the gaps as well as shoring up the OL. Both Tomsula and Kaepernick said that they are pleased with the progress of building chemistry with new WR Torrey Smith and hope for them to get more looks later in the preseason.

Fooch's note: For those wondering, here is a look at some of the notable 49ers offensive line grades for the game. The grades are overall, pass block and then run block. Alex Boone had the only penalty assessment.

Joe Staley: 1.1 overall, 0.4 pass block, 0.6 run block
Alex Boone: -0.7, 0.2, 0.1, -1.0 penalty
Joe Looney: -0.1, 0.1, -0.2
Marcus Martin: 0.4, -0.9, 1.3 - 1 QB hurry
Erik Pears: -1.4, -1.1, -0.4 - 2 QB hurry
Brandon Thomas: -2.3, -0.6, -1.8 - 1 QB hurry
Andrew Tiller: 1.1, 0.3, 0.7
Trent Brown: 1.8, 0.5, 1.2
Ian Silberman: 1.6, 0.3, 1.2
Jordan Devey: 1.2, -0.6, 1.7
Dillon Farrell: 1.4, 0.4, 0.9
Sean Hooey: -1.2, 0.5, -1.8
Patrick Miller: -2.3, -1.1, -1.3
Justin Renfrow: -2.8, -0.6, -2.3 - 1 sack