Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in Denver Broncos' Week 7 Contest with SF 49ers

This week on Sunday Night Football, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth are calling a good one. The Denver Broncos are playing host to the San Francisco 49ers, and the matchup between two of the league's top teams is sure to be exciting and fun to watch. 

The Broncos are 4-1, having won their last two games since their Week 4 bye, while the 49ers are 4-2 and on a three-game winning streak. 

Despite being a supreme team that has found success with quarterback Colin Kaepernick and head coach Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers have been embroiled in controversy this season, particularly with some speculating that Harbaugh may be on his way out. 

These certainly seem like odd notions for a team that was the Super Bowl runner-up just two seasons ago, but who knows what is going on behind the closed doors of the locker room. 

Nonetheless, analysts and experts alike have been doubting the 49ers a lot this season, and Vegas is in that club. It currently has them listed as seven-point underdogs for Sunday's game, per Odds Shark. 

It seems like some people may be giving Denver the win before kickoff, and while it is certainly the better team on paper and great at home, this game will stay close for a variety of reasons. Here are some key matchups to keep an eye on Sunday evening. 

Ronnie Hillman vs. the San Francisco Defense

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

While Peyton Manning and his gang of receivers are the first thing everyone thinks of when one hears Denver Broncos, the team is actually very committed to the run. Last week against the New York Jets, the Broncos showed this quite clearly, when they handed running back Ronnie Hillman the rock 24 times.

Hillman was able to hit the century mark (he rushed for exactly 100 yards), but taking 24 carries to get there is very average. The Jets have actually been fairly solid against the run this season, but San Francisco has been even better. It has allowed an average of only 79.8 rushing yards per game.  

Denver may not score more points when it runs the ball, but it certainly keeps the offense on the field longer, making it harder for its opponents to score. 

Brandon Lloyd vs. the Denver Defense

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Why am I highlighting San Francisco wide receiver Brandon Lloyd over fellow 49ers receivers Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree? Well, there are two reasons. 

First, Boldin and Crabtree are Kaepernick's two favorite targets. The Denver defense is aware of this, and as a result, they will command the bulk of its attention—in addition to San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis, of course. This could leave Lloyd in single coverage as the third or fourth receiving option for Kaepernick to take a deep shot at. It worked last week against the St. Louis Rams for an 80-yard touchdown. 

Second, Lloyd, for those who don't remember, spent three seasons with the Broncos. In 2010, he had his career year with the team, collecting 77 receptions, 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns. I believe in revenge games in the NFL, so I think Lloyd is going to be bringing his A-game and exploit a mismatch. 

Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde vs. the Denver Defense

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

There's no doubt that the 49ers are a better team when they can run the ball, as all teams are. Starting running back Frank Gore has rushed for an average of 67.2 yards per game this season, yet in the 49ers' two losses, he rushed for only 63 and 10 yards.

Last week, against the Rams, the 49ers escaped with a victory, but they struggled early on, in large part because they couldn't get anything going on the ground.

Many analysts believe that Gore is on the decline and that rookie Carlos Hyde is the future in San Francisco. Hyde has been seeing an increase in work, yet Gore is clearly still the man in San Francisco for now.

Regardless of who winds up carrying the rock, someone needs to. The 49ers might be able to pull away with a victory against the Rams with no running threat, but that won't work against a Denver defense and a potent Denver offense. Denver is also the fourth-best team this season in terms of rushing yards allowed per game (76.8). 

All stats courtesy of NFL.com.