The San Francisco 49ers absolutely *smoked* the preseason Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, dropping a 27-7 win in Melbourne, and a wild stat just hit that tells you exactly how they did it. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the dude who makes their offense tick, was in motion on 17 of his 33 snaps, powering an attack that used pre-snap motion on an unheard of 65.6 percent of their plays.
Shanahan’s Motion Machine is Unstoppable
That 65.6 percent pre-snap motion rate? That’s the most the 49ers have *ever* had under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Think about that for a second. Shanahan’s known for his offensive wizardry, and this is his new high-water mark. And who’s the engine driving it? Juszczyk. Nobody else on the 49ers was in motion more than five times during that game. It’s not even close. After that crazy stat dropped, the 35-year-old veteran didn’t mince words, saying straight up, “My Cardio Is A1.” You gotta believe him after a showing like that.
The Unsung Veteran Dominating Without the Ball
Juszczyk, now in his 14th NFL season out of Harvard, has been a 49er for ten years after a four-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens. The dude is a certified pro, a Pro Bowler for ten straight seasons and a two-time First Team All-Pro. He might not have recorded a single carry or a reception against the Rams, but don’t get it twisted, he was huge. His misdirection and blocking schemes helped the San Francisco offense pile up 379 total yards and rack up 23 first downs. That’s a massive impact from a guy whose primary job is to create space and confuse defenses, and it clearly worked wonders against a team projected for big things.
This kind of workload and impact, especially against a squad pegged as preseason Super Bowl favorites, signals exactly what kind of season Juszczyk and the 49ers are cooking up. You can bet his misdirection and blocking will continue to be a massive factor as they roll through the schedule. Get ready, NFL, because Juszczyk’s cardio is just getting started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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