Frank Gore on the IR: Why The 49ers Are Still Thinking Playoffs Without Him

The 49ers knocked off the Arizona Cardinals in a 27-6 victory on Monday Night, but the win came at a price, as running back Frank Gore suffered a cracked hip in the game.

Now he'll be sidelined the rest of the season.

Gore is one of those guys who has battled injuries his entire career.

He has knee problems stemming back to college, which caused him to slip in the draft and has only played a complete season one time in his career.

While Gore usually only misses one or two games a season, the 49ers knew they needed to have a backup plan in the event that he was injured again.

The Niners felt they had a backup in Glen Coffee, but he unexpectedly retired before the season began.

Although Coffee was a promising, hard-nosed running back, he was not a transition away from Gore. He brought the same physicality and running style.

While, the 49ers may have lost Coffee, they still improved their depth at running back.

The 49ers drafted running back Anthony Dixon from Mississippi St. in the 6th round.

Dixon is a huge, bruising back.

At 233 pounds, the 49ers probably had the feeling that Dixon could do some of the goal line and short yardage work to preserve Gore and add an element to their run game.

Dixon impressed during the preseason, and while he hasn't had many touches, Dixon is still a developing young talent.

The 49ers knew if a situation arose where Gore was injured for any significant amount of time, they would need a guy who wouldn't be a big drop off from Gore. A veteran presence, who could block, catch out of the backfield and run the football effectively.

Good thing Brian Westbrook just happened to be unemployed.

It was unclear whether the 49ers would use Westbrook on third downs or share carries with Gore.

A few games into the season, it became clear that Westbrook was simply an insurance policy.

In Week 12, on Monday Night Football, Frank Gore ran five carries for 52 yards and left the game with a hip fracture setting the stage for Brian Westbrook to show exactly why the 49ers brought him in.

Although the Cardinals aren't exactly a run-stopping defense, Westbrook's 23 carries for 136 yards and a score were impressive.

He had fresh legs and made an immediate impact.

Westbrook might not be Frank Gore, but he can still move the ball down the field and provide everything the 49ers need from a running back. It is also worth noting that Anthony Dixon received 14 carries against Arizona, an indication that the 49ers may feed him more carries in order to preserve Westbrook.

So where does the Gore injury put the 49ers in the grand scheme of things?

The 49ers are one game out of first place.

Without their best offensive weapon, the 49ers are going to go through an adjustment period and it doesn't help that they are taking on Green Bay on the road to start their Gore-less quest to the playoffs.

They have five games left on the schedule, facing each division opponent once, the Packers next week on the road, and the Chargers in San Diego.

The 49ers would love to be the running team they were on Monday Night, but it's unlikely they will be able to do so against Green Bay or the Chargers.

That being said, the performance Westbrook put together has to put a smile on the faces of 49er fans.

Even though his production will likely fall off, for the next five games, Westbrook has to continue to be a veteran leader. The 49ers can smell the playoffs, being only one game out of first place.

If they can manage to take out the Seahawks at home, the Rams on the road and the Cardinals in Week 17, the 49ers will be 7-9.

It is unclear whether the winner of the NFC West will need to have seven or eight wins to come away with the division, but the 49ers are light-years ahead of where they were prior to the Monday Night game.

It is a shame that the 49ers could go to the playoffs with Frank Gore on the sidelines.

He has been instrumental in providing what limited success the 49ers have had over the last six years.

While it is unclear what the future holds for Mike Singletary and the quarterback position, the 49ers could make another stride as an organization by making the playoffs.

Gore is down, but the 49ers are not out.