Falcons vs. 49ers: 5 matchups to watch in Week 15

Fresh off an instant classic victory over the New Orleans Saints under the dome, the San Francisco 49ers looks to sweep the NFC South when they face the Atlanta Falcons in a vital home game.

With the San Francisco 49ers holding onto both the NFC West division and the conference by the slimmest of margins, this important Week 14 bout against the Atlanta Falcons reeks of a trap game.

With two games against divisional rivals with a winning schedule to close the year, the Falcons are the last team with a losing record San Francisco will face.

That being said, the Falcons are no slouches on offense. They have the ability to defeat the Niners if they aren’t taken seriously. They have a former MVP at quarterback in Matt Ryan, one of the best weapons in the league in wide receiver Julio Jones and a talented tight end in Austin Hooper.

Defensively, the Falcons are much less talented, however, with the 49ers offense having a clear advantage in matchups.

San Francisco is better on paper, despite being afflicted with injuries, but the team has to be careful not to take its superiority for granted with one bad game being the difference between home-field advantage or having to play the playoffs on the road.

With that in mind, it’s time to look at the five key matchups for San Francisco when the Falcons come to visit this Sunday.