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The 3-2 San Francisco 49ers look to improve their record on Sunday against the 2-3 Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are scrappy and will do whatever it takes to secure a victory. The 49ers must do these five things if they want to "Rise-Up" and walk away with a win.
SPY
The 49ers need an eye on Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Falcons are the third-ranked rushing team in the NFL, with 823 yards. Mariota has contributed 156 yards on the ground, along with two touchdowns. The Falcons aren't afraid to run the ball with Mariota. He has 23 designed runs, 13 scrambled runs, and two touchdowns. A spy on Mariota will eliminate him from being effective using his legs.
PRESSURE
The 49ers generated pressure and produced six sacks against the Carolina Panthers without any sacks contributed by defensive end Nick Bosa. The 49ers don't have to get home on Mariota, but they must pressure the quarterback. Mariota has four interceptions on the season. The pressures will allow the back end to make plays and get the ball back to the offense.
RUN IT
The Falcons are ranked 17th against the run. Though they sit in the middle of the pack, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan wants to develop a good rushing attack against this defense. I expect many inside zone runs from Jeff Wilson Jr. and Ty Davis-Price. Let Tevin Coleman handle the outside area runs against this 3-4 defense. The 49ers are ranked eighth in rushing, averaging 138.8 yards per game. A good rushing attack will open the offense to screens and play-action pass plays down the field.
Find the RHYTHM
The 49ers have been doing a good job getting into a rhythm early. Last game, the team scored a touchdown on a seven-play, 75-yard drive. It seems that the identity of the 49ers is beginning to take shape. It's a balance of runs, quick throws, and a few intermediate throws for a score. If the 49ers stay stride, the team will be almost impossible to defeat. Rhythm leads to long drives, and long drives lead to points.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The 49ers must be sound on special teams. Last week the team was horrendous, giving up two 50-yard returns, one of which injured kicker Robbie Gould. The 49ers need to clean up the blocked field goals because the 49ers need to put up points on the road, point blank, period, no pun intended. The Falcons are good in the return game. They're ranked sixth in kickoff returns and first in punt returns. The 49ers must stay in their lanes, wrap and tackle. Good special teams could aid the 49ers to another victory.
The 49ers face a scrappy team. The Falcons are in almost every game and don't lose by many. If the 49ers stick to these five keys, they will again be victorious.
Wayne Breezie is a 49ers content creator. He had his first guest appearance on Ronbosports in 2012. He began writing for a Facebook group called the League of the 49ers. Next, he began writing for Nothing But Niners in 2017. In 2018, Wayne Breezie made his debut on YouTube’s Nothing But Niners show. In 2019, he started his podcast called Nitty Gritty Niners. After putting the pen down for several years, Breezie saw an opportunity to write for 49erscap.com. His first published article was in January of 2022 with 49ersCap, and he currently writes and produces weekly podcasts.
The second-place San Francisco 49ers (8-3) head to Philadelphia to take on the first-place Philadelphia Eagles (10-1). The Eagles' only loss this season came against the New York Jets in Week 6. The 49ers and the Jets have a similar defensive system. If San Francisco wants to improve to 9-3 and inch closer to the top seed in the NFC, they must stick to the "Keys to Victory."
Run the Ball
The Eagles' run defense is ranked third in the NFL. They are stingy against the run. The 49ers' run offense is ranked sixth, averaging 138 yards per game. Christian McCaffrey will be the toughest challenge for the Eagles. They haven't faced a top-ten running back all season long and are about to face the number-one running back.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan
49ers mailbag: What was with Brock Purdy's black elbow sleeve in Seattle? Who will be the x-factor to beat Philly? How will SF beat the Eagles?
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We solicited your questions for our latest edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag, and you came through. So let's jump in and see what's on your mind.
I noticed Brock Purdy was wearing an elbow sleeve on his repaired right elbow. Is he having issues with his elbow? This is the first time I have seen him wearing this sleeve. - Craig L.
I noticed the same thing during the Seattle game. It was a
The San Francisco 49ers emerged victorious over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, dismantling the home team 42-19, improving their record to 9-3 by handing the Eagles their second loss of the season. What does this mean for the NFC playoff picture?
The Eagles now boast a 10-2 record, still the best in the NFL and sufficient to keep them in the driver's seat for home-field advantage in the NFC. However, the 49ers, now owning a 9-3 record, are within striking distance and have secured the potentially crucial head-to-head tiebreaker. Should the Eagles falter in the remaining stretch of the season, the 49ers could surpass them in the conference standings.
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The San Francisco 49ers will be well-rested when they arrive at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday to face the Philadelphia Eagles. The team is riding high from a big Thursday night Week 12 win against division-rival Seattle Seahawks and has dominated over opponents in recent weeks.
The 49ers aim to extend their impressive three-game winning streak this weekend by beating the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season, ending their Super Bowl hopes. This presents an opportunity for them to climb within striking distance of the top seed in the NFC playoff picture. A loss will make it challenging for the 49ers to overtake the Eagles in the standings.
While Sunday's matchup could serve as a playoff preview, the 49ers are focusing on the present rather
