What to Expect from Frank Gore, 49ers Offense in Week 14

It's been a tough week for the San Francisco 49ers. If losing to your bitter rivals is not painful enough, it had to happen in Santa Clara on Thanksgiving night.  

A few weeks ago, this upcoming game against the Oakland Raiders was largely considered a bye week for the 49ers. Now? Well, let's just say anything can happen on any given Sunday. 

The 49ers are still favored to secure the victory against their neighbors in the Bay Area, but if you expect a decisive victory, think again. Even against subpar or teams below .500, the 49ers have been anything but decisive. 

With all the pessimism out of the way, let's move our attention to this 49ers offense, which has struggled mightily in 2014. Critics have swarmed around Kaepernick and this passing offense and rightfully so; however, more attention needs to be shown toward this lackluster ground attack. 

We've been saying this for weeks, but this Sunday should be the day the 49ers get this ground game going. Against one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL, the ground attack should thrive.  

Here are a few reasons why we should expect Frank Gore and Co. to run wild against this Raiders defense.  

Raiders Defensive Line

On paper, the 49ers should flourish against the Raiders' 27th-ranked run defense. Of course, paper doesn't translate to on-the-field production, especially with this rushing attack struggling. 

To put things in perspective, let's take a look at the 49ers' rushing totals over the last three weeks. 

Week	Rushing Attempts	Yards	TD
11	36	144	0
12	29	66	1
13	18	64	0

Looking at the stats above, it's not hard to understand why the 49ers embarrassed themselves on Thanksgiving night. You can get away with poor play against mediocre teams, but good teams will expose you. 

Now, the 49ers play another bad team in the Raiders this week. Against the New York Giants worst-ranked run defense, the 49ers moved the ball pretty well.

The Giants have a better defensive line than the Raiders, so it makes sense that we should expect a great performance from this ground game. Look for Gore to have some success up the middle against this porous Raiders line.  

Colin Kaepernick on the Run

It's time to unleash Kaepernick's dual-threat ability. We all understand that Kaepernick has to develop as a pocket passer, but we need to see more designed runs from No. 7. 

The 49ers usually save Kaepernick's legs until the postseason, but at 7-5, the 49ers need every advantage they can get. It's time to throw caution to the wind. 

How does this affect Gore? As most experts will tell you, dual-threat quarterbacks change the way defenses play opponents. 

Opposing defenses want Kaepernick to beat them with his arm, and so far, he hasn't made them pay. If he can start loosening defenses with his legs, it should open opportunities for the backs and ultimately the receivers. 

Featuring his explosive running ability could be just what the 49ers need to jump-start this rushing attack. We should see some more designed runs against the Raiders this week. In fact, I think the 49ers will heavily use Kaepernick in the run game this Sunday.   

Don Feria/Getty Images

The 49ers tend to bounce back relatively well after losses. In the Jim Harbaugh era, the 49ers have never lost three consecutive games. That's about as consistent as you're going to get in the NFL. 

If you look at the 49ers' losses over the few years, they usually correlate with their struggles rushing the football. This is a team built to run the football, and at times, it can get away from what makes it unique. 

In a passing league, the 49ers are one of the few teams that can impose its will running the football. While the 49ers have struggled against teams below .500, I have confidence that their offense will get back on track this Sunday against the Raiders.