Wide receiver Deebo Samuel has yet to record a 100-yard performance on either the ground or in the passing game for the 49ers in the 2022 NFL season.
With Samuel unable to have a breakout performance for the 49ers so far, the question needs to be asked whether opposing defenses have figured out how to contain the 26-year-old.
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During the "Ask Papa" segment on the latest episode of "49ers Talk," NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco spoke with 49ers radio play-by-play announcer Greg Papa, and the two discussed if teams are catching on to how San Francisco is using Samuel.
"When Deebo goes in the backfield, he's not a Z back anymore; he's a running back," Papa said. "So you get those kind of matchups. But teams already key on the 49ers in the run game.
"If you're the defensive coordinator, any game, playing Kyle Shanahan, what's the first thing you say in every meeting? 'We got to stop the run. We got to stop the stretch. We got to stop the inside zone, the gap. We cannot let them dominate us on the ground.' "
Papa explained that when the 49ers motion Samuel into the backfield, it automatically shifts the opposing defense's focus onto him.
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"When 19 lines up in the backfield, they're going to give it to him," Papa continued. "So you have to do tendency breakers, like run them on a route. He's a wide receiver, played in the back running a wheel route, run an arrow route, a Texas route, and try to get him matched up. This time it's a nickel."
Finally, Papa stated that the answer is simple for Samuel to become a threat that goes off on NFL defenses: The 49ers need to begin running the ball to their standard.
"They've got to get back to the foundation of their offensive house, and that's is run the football ... Whether it's Deebo or whoever, Jeff Wilson Jr., whoever they put back there, they got to be more consistent because the whole offense sets up with play," Papa concluded.
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The 49ers can try returning to being a run-heavy team in Week 4 during their matchup against Los Angeles Rams on "Monday Night Football" at Levi's Stadium.