49ers Don't Need Big Production from Ground Game to Maintain Balance, Efficiency

During the first quarter of the divisional showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams, ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden came right out and said it: The 49ers love to run the football.

That unwavering commitment to pound the rock has been a staple of Jim Harbaugh's club ever since he took over the job from Mike Singletary in 2011. Since his inaugural season, the 49ers offense has always ranked inside of the top 10 for rushing yards and attempts.

Through six weeks of the 2014 season, their 814 yards on the ground once again puts them on pace for another top-10 finish.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Even when they struggle to move the chains or they decide to lean on the passing game early, you can be sure that offensive coordinator Greg Roman will always find his way back to that style of football.

The Niners 31-17 victory over the Rams was a great example of that philosophy in action.

This win had nothing to do with their rushing attack. It didn't matter how many times they tried to break through the line of scrimmage, it was a constant war of attrition trying to find any sort of space against a stout Rams defensive line.

Frank Gore's 16 carries led to a lousy 38 yards, while rookie Carlos Hyde didn't fair much better, posting just 14 yards on 11 touches. The only runs worth anything came from Colin Kaepernick. On three carries of his own, the mobile quarterback ran for 37 yards.

You would think they'd give up trying to run the ball, especially when you consider how poorly St. Louis' secondary played. Kaepernick had a field day torching the Rams' defensive backs—especially Janoris Jenkins. The 343 yards he tallied through the air was the second-most he's thrown for during his four-year career.

Despite all of the success his quarterback was enjoying, Roman did his very best to ensure the 49ers' identity would live to fight another day.

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

When the final whistle blew, the play-call distribution turned out to be pretty even. Out of 66 total offensive plays, 36 of those were passes while 30 were runs.

That's what makes the 49ers' offense beautiful. They are always going to be a run-first team as long as Harbaugh is coaching, but they have enough talent across the board to take over games with their aerial attack.

Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis are proven assets. Those guys are still the go-to pass-catchers. But it's been the addition of Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd that have really helped open things up.

Lloyd's most important contribution in 2014 to date came on Monday Night Football. With the 49ers down 14-3 late in the second quarter, everything seemed to be going the Rams' way. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was Lloyd who came surging to the rescue.

With 27 seconds left before halftime, Lloyd put a double-move on Jenkins. That little stutter-and-go maneuver was all he needed to do to get Jenkins to take the bait and lose track of the veteran wide receiver downfield.

Kaepernick recognized that Lloyd was wide open and proceeded to hit him in stride for an 80-yard touchdown. That gigantic swing of momentum changed the outcome of the game.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter tweeted what that play meant for the 49ers chances of leaving St. Louis with a win:

Having a surplus of gifted pass-catchers to work with is great for Kaepernick's development. The more tape you put on, the more you start to realize that he really looks more confident throwing the football this season. A lot of that confidence can be attributed to the group that's out there catching balls.

Still, the best way to maximize his skill set, as well as open things up in the passing game, is by running the football and running it often. You don't need a pundit or ex-NFL player to tell you that.

If you run the ball well, that usually means success in the passing game will follow suit. Besides the fact that it wears a defense down, it also keeps the opposition honest. Having just 11 guys on the field means you have to commit resources somewhere.

At 4-2, the Niners are proving once again why they still are major threat in the NFC. This team is well coached, efficient and the balance between their passing and ground game is a recipe for success.

Watch out, because the 49ers are coming.

Unless noted otherwise, all game scores and information come courtesy of ESPN.com.