49ers schedule: Forecasting the final 4 games of 2018 NFL season
By Peter Panacy
Week 14 vs. Denver Broncos
The 49ers host the Broncos on Dec. 9 at Levi’s Stadium, and while the game isn’t of utter importance to San Francisco, it sure matters for Denver.
San Francisco 49ers
At 6-6, the Broncos still have a strong shot at making the playoffs, particularly after reeling off three consecutive wins since their bye week. Consequently, they get to play both the Niners and Raiders over their last four-game stretch.
With these two contests close to must-win status, it’s not hard to see how difficult the Niners’ chances will be to pull off the victory.
According to Odds Shark, San Francisco is listed as a 5.5-point underdog for Week 14.
It’s likely a good chunk of that spread is based off Denver’s defense, which enters this contest ranked 11th in scoring but 25th in total yards allowed (4,593). The Broncos are in the middle of the pack, statistically, in red-zone defense. So one of the other reasons behind the vast difference in points allowed and yardage given up is the fact Denver’s turnover differential is plus-eight.
San Francisco, meanwhile, is a lowly minus-20.
While much of the Broncos’ offensive focus has centered on quarterback Case Keenum not quite replicating the success he enjoyed with the Minnesota Vikings last year, the real story should be undrafted rookie running back Phillip Lindsay, who is averaging a league-leading 6.1 yards per carry and could easily crest the 1,000-yard rushing plateau in Week 14.
You want your X-factor for the Niners in this game, Lindsay is it.