Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers found themselves in an unusual spot as they played their Week 4 game against NFC West division foe St. Louis Rams.
Coming in at with a record of 1-2 and coming off a bad home loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the 49ers faced the first bit of adversity in the Jim Harbaugh era. Many wondered how they would respond, and they did with an empathic 35-11 win where Frank Gore bulldozed his way to 153 yards rushing on 20 carries and one rushing touchdown.
Coming into the game, it was clear that the 49ers needed to get back to what they did best: running the football. In the first three games of the season, the 49ers failed to establish the running game and when it seemed like they were going to against the Colts, they abandoned running the ball despite having success in the first quarter.
This led to Frank Gore displaying some frustration at the end of the game. At the same time, many wondered if it also meant that Gore had hit that proverbial wall that all running backs hit once they reach the age of 30.
Well, from the opening drive, Gore and the 49ers showed that he was not washed up and that the 49ers got back to basics and re-discovered their identity. Gore had an 18-yard run on a drive that would produce no points, but that was only the beginning of the long runs for him. Gore ended the first half with 107 yards on 10 carries and that touchdown run.
Before the game, Gore was questioned and doubted, and he responded by having his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and showing he still has some burst when given the space. It was a night where he bulldozed his way over the Rams’ defense, and it was much needed for the 49ers to regain their identity.
Lucas Carreras is a contributing San Francisco 49ers writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow Lucas on Twitter by following him @maldini3fan and you can add him to your network on Google.
