The San Francisco 49ers travel to New England for a 4:25 p.m. bout with the Patriots on Sunday. Jimmy Garoppolo faces off against his old team for the first time while Cam Newton makes his fifth start in the red, white, and blue.
These two teams have squared off just 13 times, with the 49ers holding the 8-3 series lead. New England has won four of the last five matchups, but San Francisco won the last game in New England in 2012. Sunday will mark Kyle Shanahan’s first game against the Patriots as head coach, though he did famously lose to them in Super Bowl LI as the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator and play-caller. Bill Belichick, meanwhile, is 4-1 all-time against San Francisco.
The 49ers are 3-3 and coming off a win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football, though the victory proved costly as star running back Raheem Mostert went down with an ankle injury that resulted in his placement on injured reserve. New England is 2-3 after losing a heartbreaker to the Denver Broncos last Sunday.
Garoppolo has made four starts this year but finished just two games, exiting the team’s Week 2 and Week 5 games with ankle injuries.
In all, he has 63 completions for 735 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. On the ground, San Francisco has a busy running back room with Mostert, Tevin Coleman (knee, IR), Jerick McKinnon, Jeff Wilson Jr., and JaMycal Hasty. McKinnon will start this week with Mostert out. In his two starts this year, he combined for 28 carries, 92 rushing yards, and two touchdowns while also logging 10 receptions for 82 yards.
George Kittle leads the 49ers with 30 catches for 380 yards and two touchdowns in just four games. Kendrick Bourne has also impressed in the receiving game with his 17 catches for 271 yards. Second-year speedster Deebo Samuel returned in Week 4 and has been phased into the offense, too; his deception in the running and passing games make him a valuable asset against a stingy New England defense.
For New England, Cam Newton took over at quarterback after the departure of Tom Brady and has completed 116 passes for 871 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions through four games this season. He also leads the team in rushing with 45 carries for 225 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Sony Michel opened the year as the team’s starting running back and logged 26 carries for 173 yards and a touchdown in three games before landing on IR. Damien Harris joined the team in Week 4 and has posted 23 carries for 119 yards over two weeks. Rex Burkhead has also been used as a valuable asset in the running game; he has 35 carries for 142 yards and two touchdowns in six games.
Julian Edelman is New England’s leading receiver with 20 catches for 302 yards. However, more than 59 percent of his yardage (179 yards) came in one game against Seattle. Last week against Denver, he fetched just two of six targets for eight yard. Damiere Byrd (17 catches, 217 yards), N’Keal Harry (18 catches, 166 yards), and James White (18 catches, 133 yards) have also been impactful through the air.
San Francisco has the best defensive line in football despite the absences of Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas. Their secondary is somewhat banged-up with players like Richard Sherman ruled out, but the 49ers have still looked solid against the pass.
New England’s defense, which was one of the best in football last year, looks good again this year. They’ve done exceptionally well defending tight ends, and have also looked solid against the run and pass in general.
49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander (ankle) and safeties Jaquiski Tartt (groin) and Jimmie Ward (quadriceps) have been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Listed as questionable are offensive lineman Trent Williams (ankle) and running back Jeff Wilson Jr. (calf).
For New England, defensive tackle Carl Davis (concussion) has been ruled out. Defensive tackle Adam Butler (elbow), safety Kyle Dugger (ankle), wide receiver Julian Edelman (knee), guard Shaquille Mason (calf), and defensive end Derek Rivers (back) make up the Patriots’ list of questionables.
Among various benchmarks being sought out this week, Garoppolo is aiming for his sixth consecutive road game with a 110-plus passer rating. McKinnon is seeking his third straight road game with 75 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown, while Bourne has his sights set on his third straight road game with at least 60 receiving yards. Linebacker Fred Warner is aiming for his third straight game with at least seven tackles and defensive lineman Kerry Hyder will be vying for his third straight road game with a tackle for loss.
New England has several players looking to extend their streaks, too. White is aiming for his third game in a row with at least seven catches. Julian Edelman is looking for his fourth consecutive game against the NFC West with at least eight catches and his third in a row with 100-plus receiving yards. Damiere Byrd is eyeing his third straight game with six catches and 70 yards.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore is looking for his third game in a row against the 49ers with a pass defended, while J.C. Jackson has a pass defended in three straight games and will aim to extend that streak to four. Jonathan Jones is eyeing his third straight home game with at least two passes defended, Devin McCourty has two straight games against the NFC West with a pass defended and is looking for a third, and John Simon is looking for his third game in a row against the NFC West with at least six tackles.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020
Start Time: 4:25 p.m. EST
Location: Foxborough, Mass.
Stadium: Gillette Stadium
TV Info: CBS
Betting Odds | Sponsored by Jazz Sportsbook
Point Spread: SF +2.5 (-110) | NE -2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: SF +120 | NE -150
Over/Under: O 44.5 (-110) | U 44.5 (-110)
San Francisco enters as the favorites, so bet on their side of the odds if you think they will win. However, exercise caution. Bill Belichick will surely have some tricks up his sleeve. He also knows Garoppolo’s tendencies and will deploy everything he can to thwart San Francisco’s fast-paced offense. As for the total score, take the over. Sure, these two teams have two good defenses. However, they will likely exchange back-and-forth blows all game long, leading to immense scoring.
Prediction
The Patriots will dominate on Sunday, exposing the 49ers’ scrapped-together defense while exercising trick plays to improve to 3-3. If the Patriots can shut down Deebo Samuel and his elusive playing style, they should have no trouble winning.
Final Score: Patriots 31, 49ers 22
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
