Everything You Should Know About the 49ers vs. Ravens
ESPN: Ravens are keen on moving 49ers QB and the RB.
Which 11-3 heavyweight is going to turn heads?
The No. 1 seed in each conference meeting in a potential Super Bowl preview has the NFL world abuzz about this clash. The Ravens want to establish themselves as the top team in the league because they feel insulted as the underdog. In previous marquee matchups, the 49ers easily defeated the Cowboys (42-10) and Eagles (42-19), and they are currently on a six-game winning streak. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the winner of this “Monday Night Football” contest on Christmas Eve will have the best record in the NFL.
Which MVP contender will have the greatest shine?
Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy, and Christian McCaffery are the top three favorites, per Vegas oddsmakers, to win the Most Valuable Player Award. All three will be in this game. A game this big in the late season will undoubtedly sway MVP voters, providing all three candidates with a fantastic opportunity to raise their prospects. Jackson is honored to be in the running once more, but his main goal is to win the Lombardi Trophy. He was the unanimous MVP in 2019. Still, there’s nothing wrong with taking home the double.
What is Baltimore’s defense going to do on its most difficult assignment?
McCaffery, wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle are the 49ers’ four outstanding playmakers. With 75 plays of 20 yards or more, San Francisco leads the league; a large portion of those yards have been gained after the catch. Pre-snap motion is a common tactic used by San Francisco in an effort to confound opponents and set up advantageous matchups. The linebackers and defensive backs for Baltimore, including Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, and Brandon Stephens, will be under tremendous pressure to gang tackle, cover well, and diagnose plays fast without blowing assignments.
Baltimore, which leads the league in sacks, will employ a range of pressure tactics to attempt and break Purdy’s rhythm. Baltimore will play the most productive offense in each conference over the course of the next two weeks. In terms of points (30.4 per game) and yards (402.4), San Francisco is ranked second in the NFL, but the Dolphins are first (31.5 points, 414.4 points). The Ravens think they have the greatest defense in the NFL, and they’ll get two weeks to prove it by playing opposing strong offenses.
5 Games to See Against the 49ers
The Ravens’ success will mostly depend on Kyle Hamilton vs. George Kittle (among others).
Ryan Mink, editorial director of the Baltimore Ravens
The editorial director is Ryan Mink.
Participants to Watch
Lamar Jackson, quarterback
Jackson is continually improving, extending plays in the pocket more often with his athleticism and thriving under offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s scheme. Although Jackson has a 19-1 career record as a starter versus the NFC, a 15-4 record in primetime, and a 15-3 record in December, the 49ers are a strong opponent. That is a significant number of trends. It will be interesting to watch Jackson take against the talented front seven of the 49ers.
Justin Madubuike, DT
With at least one half-sack in 11 straight games, Madubuike has tied the NFL record. Against the 49ers, he has the opportunity to break that mark. Madubuike not only presses the middle but also frequently attracts double teams, which opens up space for Baltimore’s other pass rushers. Madubuike is difficult to block, but Purdy (29 touchdown passes, seven interceptions, and 119.0 quarterback rating) is difficult to rattle. With 50 sacks, the Ravens lead the NFL, and the more Purdy is hit by Madubuike, the better Baltimore’s chances are.
Kyle S. Hamilton
Having adaptable defenders is advantageous when facing the 49ers, and Baltimore’s defensive strategy is probably going to heavily rely on Hamilton’s ability to lurk behind safety. Hamilton is a Swiss Army Knife who can match up with Kittle, Aiyuk, Samuel, or McCaffery. In just his second season, he has already made a significant impact as a safety in the NFL.
