Falcons vs. 49ers: Week 15 matchups, injuries and breakdown
By Peter Panacy
Week 15 Matchups and X-Factors to Watch
The Falcons having essentially nothing to play for at this point in the season means Dan Quinn can go “all out,” taking the kinds of chances other teams jockeying for playoff positioning can’t necessarily afford.
And much like the 49ers were doing late last season, embracing the spoiler role has its advantages. Especially when there’s some individual pride on the line.
49ers Secondary vs. Julio Jones
The Niners do have an advantage on Julio Jones in that he’s essentially Atlanta’s only deep threat on the perimeter, namely with Calvin Ridley out.
Jones already has 1,016 receiving yards on the season despite the Falcons’ woes elsewhere, and he remains a top threat.
Ahkello Witherspoon, Emmanuel Moseley and San Francisco’s defensive backfield will still have to be on point here, especially considering how much Atlanta likes to pass the ball.
Solomon Thomas vs. Falcons Offensive Line
Football Outsiders has Atlanta’s offensive line ranked right in the middle of the pack, 16th, in terms of pass protection. But with D.J. Jones out, one might expect Solomon Thomas to see an uptick in opportunity.
His efforts could make a huge difference in determining how effective the 49ers pass rush is from other points at the line of scrimmage.
Ben Garland vs. Grady Jarrett
Ben Garland handled his business well enough in the wake of Weston Richburg’s injury in New Orleans, which is a good sign. But Garland will have a tough task again this week, as he’ll battle it out with Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who has 5.5 sacks on the season.
A strong performance from Garland will make the Niners feel a little better about Richburg’s replacement going forward.
Kyle Shanahan vs. Dan Quinn
Quinn’s offense in 2016 was record-setting dominant with Kyle Shanahan calling the plays that year, and Shanahan has now implemented another top-tier system in San Francisco.
This chess match will be an interesting one. Shanahan knows what Quinn likes to call, defensively, while Quinn also understands Shanahan’s tendencies.
Players are ultimately responsible for execution and making plays, but the head games between both head coaches should be fun to watch.