4 crucial advantages 49ers have over scuffling Broncos in Week 3

49ers advantage No. 1: Broncos offense matches up poorly vs. Niners defense

Denver has scored a total of 32 points this season, 16 apiece in their matchups from both Weeks 1 and 2.

That’s 24th in the league.

While the Broncos’ yardage totals are notably better (783, good for seventh), it’s pretty clear the offense is still struggling to get into the end zone. A combination of poor play-calling and shoddy execution might be to blame, but it’s important to call out how these efforts have nevertheless come against substandard defenses.

San Francisco’s defense, meanwhile, has been exemplary over two weeks.

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Specifically in Week 2, where the 49ers defense held Seattle to zero offensive points scored, the Niners now boast the NFL’s No. 3-ranked scoring defense, is No. 1 in fewest yards allowed (420), ranks second best in yards per play (4.1), has given up the least passing yards in two weeks (285) and boasts the best run defense thus far with opponents averaging just 2.6 yards per carry.

Granted, San Francisco’s competition over the first two weeks, the Bears and Seahawks, hasn’t exactly been of the upper-echelon variety. But, unlike Denver struggling against sub-par competition, the 49ers defense has more or less done its job well in this context.

And that might easily help lead the Niners to a defense-first victory over the Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 3.