Keys to 49ers Victory: Super Bowl Preview Vs. Crows? The 49ers have arguably their toughest matchup of the season against the Ravens.
- The San Francisco 49ers continued their second-half success with a 45-29 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, extending their winning streak to six games before a crucial Week 16 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens at Levi’s Stadium on Christmas Day. It’s a big late-season matchup between two of the best teams in the NFL this season, and one that will have big playoff implications for the 49ers as they chase the No. 1 seed. If the 49ers win, they need just one of their next two games to clinch the NFC for Week 17, allowing them to rest their starters in Week 18 before the playoffs. The 49ers enter the game with health concerns. Defensive Tackle Arik Armstead (foot/knee), linebacker Jauan Jennings (concussion protocol), tight end Ross Dwelly (ankle) and linebacker Oren Burks (knee). As a result, Javon Kinlaw is expected to start at defensive tackle alongside Javon Hargrave, while Ray-Ray McCloud and Ronnie Bell could see bigger roles at receiver. Entering the game, the DraftKings Sportsbook has the 49ers as six-point favorites with an over/under of 47 points. Here’s what you need to know about the 49ers’ opponent on Monday. Preview of an opponent The Baltimore Ravens exploded to the top of the NFL with a number of offensive personnel changes, hiring offensive coordinator Todd Monken from the University of Georgia and signing Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year deal to round out his wide receiver core. Baltimore’s philosophy hasn’t changed much, though, as they lead the league with 163.8 yards per game despite J.K. Dobbins and most recently Keaton Mitchell. The Ravens, who last beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-7, are on a four-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine games. The Ravens enter Week 15 with few injuries as cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis (concussion) and Arthur Maulet (knee) are out, while wide receiver Zay Flowers is questionable with a leg injury. Baltimore has a top-five offense in both yards (374.1) and points per game (27.4), which they will test against a 49ers defense that just gave up 29 points to the Arizona Cardinals. Defensively, Baltimore was just as impressive, allowing just 287.9 yards per game, second most in the NFL, while leading the league in points allowed per contest at 16.1. Which team will ultimately emerge victorious in a potential Super Bowl matchup between the rivals? Game keys Running Game: It’s no secret that the Baltimore Ravens love to run the ball as they lead the league with 163.8 yards per game. Their yards came in a variety of ways, however, with quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the team with 741 yards and 5.5 yards per carry, averaging 9.6 rushing attempts per game. Coach Gus Edwards has seen the most attempts this season with 663 yards and 11 touchdowns on 4.1 carries. The Ravens also had electric backup Keaton Mitchell, who unfortunately tore his ACL against the Jaguars last week, sidelining him for the season. On the 49ers side, they are without their top defender as Arik Armstead has been ruled out again. Last week, with Armstead out, the 49ers gave up a season-high 29 points to the Cardinals, who rushed for 234 yards as a team. That can’t happen against the Ravens, who have been explosive this season and capitalized on their opportunities on the field. On the other hand, the 49ers have elite running back Christian McCaffrey, who can carry the load on both sides of the game. While the 49ers will clearly use McCaffrey at quarterback, it’s interesting to note that the Ravens’ senior defensive end is 24th in the NFL in DVOA. What is clear is that running backs and the running game will play a major role in this contest, and whichever team can do better in that regard may end up winning. Brock Purdy: Brock Purdy will face another elite defense on Monday, perhaps the best he’s seen since the 49ers’ 19-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. It was arguably the worst performance of Purdy’s career as the quarterback went 12/27 for 125 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Much has changed since then, as Purdy was elite during the 49ers’ six-game winning streak that propelled him to the top of the MVP conversation, compiling a 17-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio during that stretch. Now in Week 16, Purdy will have a chance to prove himself again against one of, if not the best, defense in the league. Aside from Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow, however, the Ravens will have one of their toughest quarterback challenges of the season in Purdy, who will try to get another win for the 49ers. With playoff football on the horizon, Purdy will have a chance to prove himself in the spotlight against a tough opponent, giving a strong indication of his level of play in the playoffs. Something has to give: Will Purdy struggle for the first time in over a week, or will the Ravens’ fearsome defense succumb to the 49ers’ elite offense? Red Zone: The 49ers’ red zone struggles are long gone. Over the last four weeks, the 49ers have led the league in scoring touchdowns in 13 of their last 14 chances. On the season, they were consistently good in the red zone, averaging 3.9 yards per game, third in the NFL, and completing 68.5 percent of their touchdowns, the best in the NFL. Now they face a Baltimore offense that ranks second in the NFL in four red-zone trips per game, though they are ninth with 60.7 touchdowns.
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