3 ways 49ers ensure Falcons don’t upset them in Week 15

No. 1: 49ers must play mistake-free football vs. Falcons

One of the primary reasons why the Niners pulled off the victory over Cincinnati was because they largely avoided making mistakes, all the while taking full advantage of the ones the Bengals made, particularly during the first half.

San Francisco can lose its Week 15 contest if it beats itself, plain and simple. It’d be the largest way a sub-par Falcons team hangs around long enough, especially if they’re capitalizing on turnovers, penalties and gaffes on either side of the ball.

Both Atlanta and the 49ers are in the middle of the pack, in terms of penalties against, with the Falcons being called for 77 this season against the Niners’ 79. Yet the turnover differential is something San Francisco will want to be on the right side of for this bout, considering Atlanta enters the game with a minus-5 mark, whereas the 49ers have shown improvement in recent weeks and are now at minus-2.

The Niners are a perfect 6-0 when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo doesn’t toss an interception, although they’re 1-5 when he does. If you want yet another X-factor that could let the Falcons have a chance, that’s about as big as they come.

If San Francisco plays a clean game without an overabundance of costly mistakes, it’ll win easily.

The 49ers and Falcons kick off on Sunday, Dec. 19 at 4:05 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium.