Fall break came at a good time, as last week the majority of NFL spreads were relatively even. This week, however, is a completely different story, as there are about eight or nine games that should be lopsided on paper. There is one game however I think will turn some heads. The undefeated San Francisco 49ers play the Carolina Panthers this week, and the Panthers should end the 49ers’ streak.
While some are calling the 49ers title contenders, I am not convinced. Of the six wins the team has, only one of them came against a team with a winning record. The other wins came against bottom feeders such as the Bengals, Redskins and Buccaneers.
The 49ers do have an excellent defense that has allowed just 224 yards per game and has forced 15 turnovers. While the team’s passing defense looks great, the team’s rushing defense has shown cracks in its armor.
In the team’s victory over the Browns in week five, Browns running back Nick Chubb averaged five-and-a-half yards per carry and was the lone bright spot for the Cleveland. Chubb is a good running back, but the 49ers are about to face an even bigger threat as the team faces one of the best backs in the league, Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey is second in the league in rushing yards per game and second in receiving yards per game at the running back position. The Panthers’ offense is built around McCaffrey, as he has scored nine touchdowns in six games and averages five yards per carry.
The 49ers will also face a major test against the Panthers’ quarterback, Kyle Allen. While Allen is not the best quarterback in the league, he takes care of the football better than anybody and has yet to throw an interception this season.
A large part of the 49ers’ success has been the team’s ability to create turnovers as the team has faced trigger-happy quarterbacks such as Baker Mayfield and Andy Dalton. But against Allen and McCaffrey duo, the turnovers and forced mistakes will simply not be there.
Unlike Allen however, the 49ers’ quarterback, Jimmy Garappolo, has been full of mistakes and has thrown six interceptions this season. The key part of this statistic is that the 49ers have not faced any defenses with a significant pass rush.
The Panthers’ defense lives by the pash rush. In the last four games alone, the Panthers’ defense recorded 23 sacks, putting them at a league-leading 27 sacks.
Garappolo has not faced a pass rush quite like the Panthers, and I fully expect Garappolo to throw multiple interceptions this game, creating extra opportunities for the Panthers.
This 49ers’ lineup has talent, but the team has flaws that do not match up well against the Panthers. This should be a close, low-scoring game, but the turnovers will hurt the 49ers this week. Look for the Panthers to win 20-17.