Decorate hallways with Purdy branches! What better way to celebrate the holidays than with football on Christmas Eve? The hot red 49ers Will be looking to continue their seven-game winning streak against a formidable opponent the Washington Commanders.
DraftKings Sportsbook currently has the 49ers listed as a Favorite at 6.5 points, with an over/under set at 37.5. Here are some things to look out for in this game.
49ers defense has a chance to make history
This 49ers defense has the talent across the board to rival one of the great defenses of the past 25 years. In Saturday’s game against the Commanders, they will have the opportunity to accomplish something that none of the historic defenses have ever done before.
The 49ers have held opponents to less than 70 rushing yards in seven straight games, which tied the Ravens’ vaunted 2000 defense for the longest such streak in NFL history. If they can subdue Brian Robinson and keep Washington’s rushing offense within 70 yards, they’ll cement their place in the history books as the only team to ever accomplish such a feat.
The Commanders pose a serious challenge to the 49ers as they attempt to break that record, as they’ve rushed for 125+ yards in six straight games prior to this one. However, the advantage still rests with San Francisco and its number one rushing defense which has allowed just 3.4 yards per carry this season.
Oh, and if it wasn’t already going to be tough for Washington to head the ball in this one, Javon Kinlaw would also be back on the court on Saturday.
Can Brock Purdy run this train?
Since taking the reins following an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo in the first practice of the 49ers’ Week 13 win over the dolphins, Purdy exploited this offense with extreme efficiency. The seventh-round rookie played with the confidence of a seasoned veteran, which helped the 49ers offense continue to put points on the board at a respectable clip.
Here are Purdy’s numbers since coming off the bench in the second series of the 49ers’ win over the Dolphins.
69% completion percentage
612 yards
7.2 yards per attempt
6 touchdowns
1 intercept
108.3 passer rating
Purdy has been fantastic given the circumstances, but the next game against the Commanders might be the toughest test yet. The biggest question is…
What version of Commander Defense will we see?
Washington currently owns a top ten in scoring and total defense, ranking ninth in points against and fourth in yards allowed. Commanders are a formidable unit that are strong at all three tiers, especially in the trenches, where they have one of the strongest defensive lines in the league. They will also receive reinforcements, with 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young expected to return to the field in Santa Clara.
However, there has been a major difference in how Washington’s defense performs when playing a high-end offense this season compared to the rest of the field. In their four games where they played a current top-ten ranked offense, they allowed 26.5 points per game. In their ten games against everyone, they only allow 17.
The 49ers offense currently ranks seventh in yards per game and is tied for tenth in points per game. The offense alone has averaged over 26 points per game since Purdy has been under center, so this game is as much a test for the Commanders defense as it is for Purdy and the 49ers offense.
One area in particular where the Commanders defense has excelled this season has been their third defense. Opponents are converting just 32% of their third attempts against Commanders this season, who rank fourth in the entire NFL this season. season.
turnover battle
The 49ers have made a remarkable turnaround in the revenue margin department this season, currently sitting at +7 on the year, which is the league’s third-best revenue differential behind Dallas ( +9) and Philadelphia (+12).
After entering the bye at -3 on the season, the 49ers have been exceptional over the past six weeks, recording 13 takeaways while only spitting the ball out three times themselves, good for a +10 margin. over this period.
Washington, on the other hand, currently sits at -2 on the season, and their defense is tied for fifth-fewest takeouts on the season. If the tendencies of both teams hold serve, the path to commanders winning this game becomes very difficult for them.
Epic battle in the trenches
They are two of the best defensive lines in football, with both units possessing impressive depth and the heaviest starters loaded with household names and superstar players.
The 49ers and Commanders have had at least seven player-record double-digit pressures this season, and it will be fascinating to see how each team deploys their backups throughout the game to keep the top guys fresh.
Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne combined for 84 pressures and 17 sacks during the season, giving the inside of the 49ers offensive line their toughest challenge of the season yet. It should be a fascinating match at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
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