The San Francisco 49ers look to rebound after losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, falling to 4-2 on the season. The team has another formidable opponent coming into town as they face off against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons are coming off a win and aim to extend their two-game winning streak. The 49ers aim to return to the winning column and continue to dominate in the NFC. It won't be easy with the loss of their captain, Fred Warner, but if the 49ers want to improve to 5-2, they must stick to the Keys to Victory.
Run the Ball
The Falcons' run defense is ranked 17th, allowing on average 114.3 yards per game. Although the 49ers have struggled to run the ball, the return of tight end George Kittle could significantly help the run game and prevent the team from accumulating so many negative yards, especially on first down.
Not only do the Falcons have the number one overall defense, but they also have the number one passing defense in the NFL, allowing on average 139.4 yards per game. What will help the 49ers' passing offense is running the ball successfully, creating play-action pass options that quarterbacks Mac Jones and Brock Purdy excel at.
Run the ball, pass the ball, win the game.
Stop the Run
Stopping running back Bijan Robinson will be tough, especially after losing Fred Warner for the season. This means the next man up, Tatum Bethune, must be ready to play fundamentally sound out there. Wrapping and tackling should be rule number one, forever, on the defense. What makes Robinson so dynamic is his ability to break tackles for explosive plays.
Robinson isn't the only running back they must stop. Tyler Algeier will bring the thunder with his hard-nose running style. The Falcons are ranked number one in rushing yards per game, averaging 151.3 yards per game. It's going to be a tall task for the defensive front, linebackers, and safeties, but if they can stop the run and force Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to become one-dimensional, they will improve to 5-2.
Don't Get Beat by Drake
The 49ers must allow cornerback Deommodore Lenoir to shadow the Falcons' best receiver, Drake London. London is having a tremendous season with 34 receptions, 427 yards, 12.6 yards per catch, two touchdowns, and a long of 43 yards. Recently, the 49ers' defense has allowed seven explosive plays, 20 yards or more in the air, in consecutive games against the Los Angeles Rams and the Buccaneers.
Expect the Falcons to take advantage of the bruised and battered secondary. Lenoir, Renardo Green, Malik Mustapha, Ji'Ayir Brown, and Marques Sigle will have their hands complete with the weapons in Atlanta.
The 49ers must go all in on taking away their number one receiver, London. If the 49ers' defense can eliminate their playmaker, they will be victorious.
Earlier in the season, this was seen as a potentially easy win for the 49ers. Now, as adversity has set in, the 49ers are struggling to find ways to overcome various challenges. A few favor the team, and if they stick to the Keys to Victory, they will cool off the Falcons and let the other teams in the league know they're ready on any given Sunday.