49ers key matchup No. 3: Iupati vs. Campbell

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This is the first part in a series that spotlights three 49ers-Cardinals matchups to watch Monday, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNCBS, Ch. 5), at University of Phoenix Stadium49ers LG Mike Iupati vs. Cardinals RDE Calais CampbellTale of the tape
Iupati (77): 6-foot-5, 331 pounds, third season, Idaho
Campbell (93): 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, fifth season, Miami (Fla.)Everything about Mike Iupati exudes confidence.As the 49ers were reviewing their many assignments and adjustments on a short week before facing the Seattle Seahawks, offensive coordinator Greg Roman could tell Iupati would be on top of his game.During a review meeting, Roman asks questions and the offensive linemen compete to be the first with the correct answers.
"We got a lot of guys who want to be the first guy with the answer, but he was hitting the buzzer first," Roman said. "That's very impressive."Iupati's classroom mastery of the scheme, assignments and adjustments carried over into the game with an exemplary performance -- perhaps the best game of his career -- in the 49ers' 13-6 victory over Seattle."We meet a long time," Iupati said, noting a typical meeting lasts a couple hours at a time.Does he ever doze off?"We're in the front of the room, so we always have to be alert. They can see us," he said.
Clearly, he has made significant strides, and that's made everybody sit up and take notice. Iupati says the game has slowed down for him in his third NFL season "From an assignment standpoint, Mike was playing very fast," Roman said of the 49ers' Oct 18 game against the Seahawks."You can tell when a guy is playing fast, he's off on the count, there's no indecision. When the defense does something a little different, there's not that moment of hesitation. He's playing extremely fast. And he's just dominating people, physically. He's got some physical tools that are rare, and they were on display."Iupati also demonstrates a lot more ease and confidence when speaking with the media, too.His main assignment Monday night against the Cardinals' 3-4 scheme will be defensive end Calais Campbell, who has 24 tackles, two sacks and five deflected passes for the Cardinals this season.Campbell made no secret of his feelings about the 49ers, saying this week he "hates the 49ers with a passion." He added, "I can't wait to go out there and stick it to them. Alex Smith, I've gotten down a few times so I know hes thinking about me a little bit."Campbell seemed to overstate his history of success against the 49ers. In seven career games against San Francisco, Campbell has two sacks.
Said Iupati, "Talk is cheap. That's all I have to say. We have much respect for their organization and team. We got to go do our thing."And doing their thing means running the football. The 49ers average 5.9 yards per rushing attempt this season. The Cardinals, who feature the league's seventh-ranked defense, is allowing 4.2 yards per rushing attempt.The 49ers' main run play is "power." That also happens to be Iupati's favorite play. While right guard Alex Boone and tackle Anthony Davis execute a double-team block, Iupati pulls and delivers a block that generally produces a sizable hole for Frank Gore."He's pulling for the front-side linebacker spot," Roman said. "He's gotten really good at it, adjusting to all the different looks. Mike is the backside. It involves him reading things on the run and adjusting inside or outside."Said Iupati, "That's my game. 'Power' is one of the most physical plays. . . It's smash-mouth football."

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