5 Bold Predictions for the San Francisco 49ers' Week 10 Matchup
The San Francisco 49ers played a very poor game and took a 13-10 loss to the St. Louis Rams. This dropped the 49ers' record to 4-4, a full three games behind the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West.
The 49ers also trail the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, for the two NFC wild-card berths.
To make matters worse, the 49ers blew the game against the Rams at home, coming off a bye week. A championship-caliber team simply does not do that.
Although I do believe the officials erred on the Michael Crabtree catch, as he had the ball inside the goal line, the 49ers still had another chance to score. It is also my belief that the ball crossed the goal line on Colin Kaepernick's quarterback sneak before he lost the ball. Unfortunately, the officials ruled otherwise.
Nevertheless, the 49ers never should have been in that position. The defense played exceptionally well, but mistakes on special teams and the ineptitude of the offense cost the 49ers the game.
The main culprit was the offensive line. The 49ers' line allowed eight sacks to a Rams team that had only six in their first seven games. The pass protection could not hold up under the Rams' blitz packages, but even when the Rams did not blitz, they harassed Kaepernick.
The offensive line, once a strength of the 49ers, is now the worst unit on the team. It was constantly beaten in pass protection in its man-on-man battles.
There were also very few adjustments made by the coaching staff to help alleviate the pressure on Kaepernick. More short, quick passes, along with a greater commitment to the ground game would have helped to keep the pass rush off Kaepernick.
In addition, the execution of the plays the 49ers ran was haphazard and inconsistent.
The 49ers now travel to New Orleans to face the New Orleans Saints, who also stand at 4-4. However, the Saints started slowly and are now moving in the right direction. They have defeated Green Bay and Carolina in their past two games. The opposite is true of the 49ers, who have lost their last two games.
Let's take a closer look at five bold predictions for this upcoming game.
No. 5: Chris Borland Will Be Victimized by Drew Brees at Least Twice
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Filling in for Patrick Willis, Chris Borland had a tremendous game against the Rams. The rookie linebacker accounted for 18 tackles and was all over the field.
However, Borland was also caught looking into the backfield, when Rams quarterback Austin Davis hit Kenny Britt on a crossing route right in front of him. Kevin Lynch of sfgate.com reported that Borland admitted his mistake on the play that resulted in the Rams' only touchdown.
That play was the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding performance by Borland. However, this was against a rookie quarterback and an offense that are not nearly as prolific as the combination the 49ers will face this Sunday.
Drew Brees is a future Hall of Fame quarterback, and the Saints offense is ranked second in the league in yards per game.
Do not think for an instant that Brees did not notice the play on which Borland missed his assignment. Expect the Saints to try several more plays like it, in hopes that Borland will make the same mistake again.
With Willis still ailing from his toe injury, Borland will need to play a stellar game to help slow down the New Orleans offense.
While the expectation is that Borland will play well, invariably there will be a few plays where his lack of experience and his aggressive nature will make him vulnerable. Brees will exploit this and make some key plays at Borland's expense.
No. 4: Colin Kaepernick Will Run for over 50 Yards Against the Saints
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Now is time for Colin Kaepernick to step up and lead the 49ers to victories. He has not progressed from the 2013 season and has played well below the level expected of him this year.
With the pressure squarely on his shoulders, Kaepernick will revert back to what comes most naturally for him. Kaepernick will get out of the pocket and run a lot more than he has in recent weeks.
Over the past four contests, Kaepernick has averaged less than 22 yards per game running the ball. Look for this to change dramatically against the Saints.
The 49ers need Kaepernick to make plays and one of his best weapons is his legs. He will use them against the Saints.
No. 3: The 49ers Defense Will Hold the Saints to Under 100 Yards Rushing
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The New Orleans Saints come into this game averaging 129.5 yards per game rushing. This ranks seventh in the league. If the Saints are able to reach their average against the 49ers, they will likely win.
It will be up to the San Francisco defense to stop the run and then contain Brees. This is a tall order.
The 49ers rank fifth in the league, allowing only 85.6 yards per game on the ground. Look for this trend to continue, as the Saints will likely try to run, but if unsuccessful, do what they do best, which is pass the football.
After eight games, Mark Ingram is the Saints' leading rusher with 88 carries for 431 yards and six touchdowns. Khiry Robinson is also a threat and has more big-play potential than Ingram. Robinson has 64 rushing attempts for 330 yards and two touchdowns. His 5.2 yards-per-carry average leads the New Orleans running backs.
Pierre Thomas will also see some action in the backfield. On the season, Thomas has 30 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
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No. 2: Drew Brees Will Pass for over 300 Yards Against the 49ers
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The New Orleans Saints have been running the ball with decent success this season. However, that plays right into the strength of the 49ers defense. If the Saints' ground game is contained, which should happen, look for Brees to air it out.
Brees leads the league with a 69.6 completion rate, having completed 229 of his 329 attempts. He has thrown for 2,524 yards and 15 touchdowns, with eight interceptions. With Brees at the helm, the Saints are averaging 315.5 yards per game passing.
The San Francisco defense was able to hold the Rams to only 102 passing yards last week. This week, however, it will not be facing a young and inexperienced Austin Davis, it will be facing a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Brees.
In addition, the Saints have a wide array of productive weapons for Brees to target. Tight end Jimmy Graham leads the Saints with 46 catches for 518 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie Brandin Cooks has 43 receptions for 410 yards and two scores.
The Saints have six receivers with at least 23 receptions and over 200 yards. Contrast that with the 49ers who have only three players with over 20 catches.
The San Francisco defensive backfield has been up and down, but it has rarely had to face a team with a great quarterback and multitude of weapons that Brees and the Saints will feature.
The last time the 49ers played a strong passing team, they were obliterated by Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Manning threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns.
The 49ers must be able to pressure Brees or else he will hurt them in much the same way that Manning did only two games ago.
No. 1: Somehow, the 49ers Will Win
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The 49ers' 2013 season ended with a tough loss to Seattle in the NFC title game. So, as the 49ers and their fans viewed the 2014 season anything less than a Super Bowl would be a disappointment.
Now, with a record of 4-4, the 49ers' playoff hopes are hanging precariously in the balance. Realistically, in order to make the playoffs, the 49ers will need a 10-6 record. That means they can only lose two of their final eight games.
This game against the Saints virtually becomes a must-win contest.
With their collective backs against the wall, somehow, the 49ers will put forth one of their best efforts and come away with a win. This game is all about character, and if the 49ers lose, they will prove that they have lost the passion that made them a winner in Jim Harbaugh's prior three seasons.
The 49ers have too many veterans to roll over and fold. A loss to the Saints would be tantamount to doing just that. We will see what character and heart is within this team.
Individual stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.
Team stats courtesy of NFL.com.
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