49ers vs. Falcons: 4 X-factors that could lead to a Niners loss in Week 6

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Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

49ers vs. Falcons X-factor No. 3: Niners’ depleted D-line

The 49ers have mostly managed to navigate a growing list of injuries in recent weeks, and the fact they were without two of their starting defensive linemen, Arik Armstead (foot) and Javon Kinlaw (knee), at the start of Week 5 and then lost EDGE Nick Bosa by the end of it but still managed to dominate Carolina’s offensive line does say a lot.

Bosa might be able to return to action, which is good news, but both Armstead and Kinlaw will be out.

Going up against a run-first, run-often team like the Falcons could be problematic in losing two of the team’s primary run-stopping players.

Fortunately, the Niners have received solid production from their backup D-linemen, namely Kevin Kivens, Charles Omenihu and Hassan Ridgeway.

However, given the fact San Francisco is already down to a sizable chunk of its B-list defensive line, even just one more injury here could be problematic.

And it would open up the door for Atlanta to try to implement its will on the ground.