The 49ers’ game versus the Ravens is maybe the hardest of the season.
The San Francisco 49ers (-6) extended their winning run to six games ahead of a pivotal Week 16 meeting against the Baltimore Ravens at Levi’s Stadium on Christmas Eve. They maintained their successful second half of the season with a 45-29 victory over the Arizona Cardinals (+12) in Week 14.
The NFL’s top two teams in terms of record square off in this season’s marquee game, which has significant postseason ramifications for the 49ers as they aim to secure the top seed.
If the 49ers triumph, they’ll just need to win once more in their next two games to secure the NFC title by Week 17, which will allow them to rest key players in Week 18 before the playoffs.
The 49ers have a few health issues going into the game. Linebacker Oren Burks (knee), tight end Ross Dwelley (ankle), wide receiver Jauan Jennings (concussion protocol), and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot/knee).
Javon Kinlaw and Javon Hargrave are therefore anticipated to start at defensive tackle and wide receiver, respectively, with Ray-Ray McCloud and Ronnie Bell possibly seeing increased playing time.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the 49ers are six-point favorites going into the game, with 47 points being the over/under.
What you should know about Monday’s opponent for the 49ers is provided below.
Preview of the Opponent
With the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. to their wide receiver core on a one-year contract and the hiring of offensive coordinator Todd Monken from the University of Georgia, the Baltimore Ravens have surged to the top of the NFL with some adjustments to their offensive roster.
Despite the losses to J.K. Dobbins and, most recently, Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore’s running attack continues to lead the league at 163.8 yards per game, suggesting that their mindset hasn’t changed all that much.
The Ravens have won eight of their previous nine games and are on a four-game winning streak. They most recently defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7.
With cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis (concussion) and wideout Arthur Maulet (knee) out and wideout Zay Flowers (foot) classified as questionable, the Ravens head into Week 15 with a few injury concerns.
Baltimore’s attack, which is in the top five in terms of yards per game (374.1) and points per game (27.4), will be put to the test against a 49ers defense that recently allowed the Arizona Cardinals to score 29 points.
Baltimore’s defensive performance has been similarly impressive, ranking second in the NFL in yards allowed per game while leading the league in points allowed per game (16.1).
In the event that contenders square up in the Super Bowl, which club will win out?
The Game’s Essentials
Run Game: The Baltimore Ravens, who lead the league in rushing (163.8 yards per game), will undoubtedly try to run the ball.
Lamar Jackson, the team’s quarterback, leads the team in rushing with 741 yards on 5.5 yards per carry, averaging 9.6 rushing attempts per game. Nevertheless, their yards have come from a variety of sources.
The most attempts this season have gone to lead back Gus Edwards, who has run for 663 yards and 11 touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry.
Keaton Mitchell, the Ravens’ electrifying backup, regrettably tore his ACL against the Jaguars last week, ending his season.
The 49ers will be without their top run defender, Arik Armstead, as he is sidelined once more.
The 49ers let up a season-high 29 points to the Cardinals last week, who ran for 234 yards as a unit while Armstead was down.
That is not going to happen this season against the explosive Ravens, who have made the most of their ground game opportunities.
Conversely, Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers’ outstanding running back, can carry the load in both areas of the game.
Although McCaffrey will undoubtedly be used as a runner by the 49ers, it’s interesting to note that the excellent Ravens defense is 24th in the NFL in terms of DVOA to running backs in the passing game.
It is obvious that the run game and the running backs will be key components of this game, and the team that performs better in those areas may win in the end.
Brock Purdy: The 49ers’ 19-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns (-7.5) in Week 6 may have been their finest defense to date. Purdy will take on another outstanding defense on Monday.
Purdy’s performance, which included completing 12 of 27 passes for 125 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, was perhaps the worst of his career.
Much has changed since then. With the 49ers currently riding a six-game winning run, Purdy has excelled and moved up to the forefront of the MVP argument. During that time, he has a 17:2 touchdown-interception ratio.
Purdy will now get another opportunity to establish himself in Week 16 against one of the league’s top defenses, if not the greatest one.
Except for Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford, Purdy presents the Ravens with one of their greatest quarterbacking assignments of the year as he looks to chisel away another victory for the 49ers.
With postseason football now approaching, Purdy will have an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in front of a critical audience against a formidable foe, giving a clear picture of his current playing level.
Something has to give: will Purdy falter for the first time in a few weeks, or can the formidable 49ers offense overcome the formidable Ravens defense?
Red zone: The 49ers’ difficulties in the red zone are long gone. The 49ers have dominated the league over the last four weeks, scoring touchdowns on 13 of their last 14 possessions.
They have been the top in the NFL at scoring touchdowns (68.5 percent) and reaching the red zone (3.9 trips per game on average), both of which they have done regularly throughout the season.
They will now take on the second-best red zone offense in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens, whose touchdown conversion rate of 60.7 has plummeted to 40% in the last three games, still ranks ninth in the NFL.
The Ravens are the best team in the league at stopping touchdowns on just 37.5% of opponent trips, so this could be an exciting red zone matchup.
The 49ers rank sixth in the NFL in terms of opponents converting red zone visits into touchdowns (51.5%), but Baltimore’s defense has just been superior.
The real struggle will take place in the red zone, where keeping one team to three points over seven could make all the difference in what should be a close contest.