Eight not enough for Frank Gore

Not that Frank Gore's candidacy for MVP needs defending, but just in case: The San Francisco 49ers' running back has gained 28.6 percent of his rushing yards against eight or more defenders in the box.

That's the highest percentage among all players with at least 400 yards rushing this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

I put together the chart below after Lotharun2 asked in the comments section of an earlier item where Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy ranked in yards against these stacked defenses.

McCoy has 17 carries for 72 yards against eight or more defenders in the box. That works out to a healthy 4.2-yard average. But with a dynamic quarterback and playmakers on the perimeter, the Eagles make it tougher for defenses to load up against the run. In my view, that explains why McCoy has gained a relatively low percentage of his runs against eight or more in the box.

The 49ers prefer heavier personnel groupings featuring two tight ends. They have enough speed at tight end to enjoy flexibility from these groupings, but the team has not consistently put an emphasis on downfield strikes.

Tough Sledding: Percent Yardage vs. 8+ Defenders in Box (min. 400 yards total)

Rank	Running Back	7 or fewer	8 or more	Total	Pct. vs. 8 or more
1	Frank Gore	482	193	675	28.6%
2	Adrian Peterson	581	217	798	27.2%
3	Michael Turner	476	145	621	23.3%
4	Maurice Jones-Drew	587	153	740	20.7%
5	Ray Rice	392	97	489	19.8%
6	Ben Tate	420	88	508	17.3%
7	Arian Foster	440	92	532	17.3%
8	Willis McGahee	391	69	460	15.0%
9	Rashard Mendenhall	362	59	421	14.0%
10	Ryan Mathews	437	69	506	13.6%
11	Shonn Greene	370	56	426	13.1%
12	Darren McFadden	534	80	614	13.0%
13	Steven Jackson	393	56	449	12.5%
14	Cedric Benson	409	49	458	10.7%
15	Beanie Wells	455	51	506	10.1%
16	LeSean McCoy	682	72	754	9.5%
17	Ahmad Bradshaw	405	35	440	8.0%
18	Matt Forte	658	14	672	2.1%
19	Fred Jackson	707	14	721	1.9%

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