The San Francisco 49ers are internet hosting the Carolina Panthers Within the Week 12 version of “Monday Night time Soccer” with San Francisco coming off a blowout victory over the division rival Arizona Cardinals, having improved to 7-4 with the win. The Niners have alternated wins and losses each week since beginning the season 3-0, they usually’ll be trying to break that streak and hold tempo within the NFC West division race with a victory over Carolina on Monday evening.
Carolina secured an extra time victory over the division rival Atlanta Falcons final week to enhance to 6-5. After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers misplaced on Sunday evening, the Panthers now have an opportunity to take over sole possession of first place within the NFC South, which they’ll seize with a win on Monday.
Which of those two groups will make it back-to-back victories? We’ll discover out quickly sufficient. However earlier than we break down the matchup, this is a have a look at how one can watch the sport.
The place to look at 49ers vs. Panthers stay
- Date: Monday, Nov. 14 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)
- TV: ESPN/ABC | Stream: Fubo (Attempt free of charge)
- Observe: CBS Sports activities App
- Odds: 49ers -7.5, O/U 49.5 through DraftKings Sportsbook
When the Panthers have the ball
Carolina is coming off an uncommon offensive recreation whereby it didn’t run the ball notably effectively however completely exploded within the passing recreation. The Panthers ran for simply 67 yards final week in opposition to the Falcons, however Bryce Younger went an unimaginable 31 of 45 for 448 yards and three touchdowns.
The 49ers, in the meantime, performed a really related recreation in opposition to the Arizona offense to the one Carolina performed in opposition to Atlanta’s protection: San Francisco held the Cardinals to simply 36 yards speeding (on 14 carries) however allowed 452 passing yards as Jacoby Brissett set the NFL file for completions in a recreation.
So, the query right here is whether or not we’re handled to a repeat efficiency on both finish of the sector. It is price noting that the Falcons recreation alone accounts for 22.8% of Younger’s passing yards for the season — and he is performed in 10 of the workforce’s 11 video games. The Panthers need the run recreation to be the middle of their assault, they usually’re most likely not going to go overly pass-heavy except they’re pressured into it.
The San Francisco protection is banged up in every single place, with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Mykel Williams and Yetur Gross-Matos all on injured reserve and even guys like Tatum Bethune and Robert Beal Jr. both uncertain (Beal) or out (Bethune). Even Luke Gifford, who may very well be requested to fill in for Bethune at linebacker, is listed as questionable. And so they’ll be relying on guys like Keion White, Sam Okuayinonu and Clelin Ferrell on the sting alongside Bryce Huff.
The Niners have been barely higher in opposition to the run (twenty second in success fee) than they’ve been in opposition to the move (twenty sixth), however they have not been notably good in opposition to both. Clearly, loads of that’s owed to their varied accidents; however these guys will not be again for this recreation. The Panthers ought to be capable of discover some success operating the ball downhill with Rico Dowdle, and take the stress off Younger to hold the offense.
If and when Younger does drop again, it will be stunning if Deommodore Lenoir follows Tetairoa McMillan across the area. Lenoir has lined up at left cornerback on all 624 snaps that he is performed on the perimeter, in accordance with Professional Soccer Focus, so the Panthers can generate a greater matchup by having T-Mac line up throughout from Renardo Inexperienced if they need. Inexperienced’s no slouch, however Lenoir is the workforce’s greatest nook. Younger’s different weapons aren’t a lot to put in writing dwelling about.
When the 49ers have the ball
Brock Purdy returned final week for San Francisco and instantly confirmed why there was by no means any controversy about who was going to be the workforce’s beginning quarterback, regardless of Mac Jones having had some success when below middle in his place.
Purdy went 19 of 26 for 200 yards and three touchdowns, superbly layering the ball all around the area and spreading it round to the likes of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Jauan Jennings. McCaffrey even had certainly one of his extra profitable video games of the season on the bottom, speeding 13 instances for 81 yards and two touchdowns, and you could possibly see how rather more open area he needed to run with a larger risk of the downfield passing assault accessible to San Francisco.
The Niners are nonetheless going to construct the airplane round loads of touches for CMC, who’s averaging 24.3 rushes plus receptions per recreation up to now this yr. There shall be a ton of stress on Carolina’s linebackers and safeties to cope with him in area, and truthfully, there simply aren’t many gamers at these positions who’re outfitted to take action — particularly when the gamers at those self same positions even have to fret about getting crushed by Kittle over the center or up the seam.
It does not assist that Carolina shall be with out each Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom, robbing the Panthers of each of their beginning inside linebackers. Guys like Claudin Cherelus, Maema Njongmeta and probably Bam Martin-Scott should play larger roles, whereas there shall be much more stress on the likes of Trevon Moehrig Nick Scott and potential slot nook Corey Thornton to cope with these two demons as effectively.
It will be fascinating to see if the Panthers use Jaycee Horn to shadow a receiver, and if that’s the case, whether or not it is Jennings or Ricky Pearsall, who appeared like the highest perimeter choice earlier within the yr earlier than getting injured and lacking prolonged time. The Niners do not have a real No. 1 wideout, so there’s not essentially an apparent man to Horn to comply with. If he does journey, I might wager on it being with Jennings, who aligns on the road of scrimmage extra usually than does Pearsall, who goes into movement extra usually.
The Panthers’ greatest wager right here is to plug up the run recreation and switch the 49ers right into a one-dimensional passing offense after which generate significantly stress on Purdy. That is simpler stated than carried out, clearly, and even when you are able to do it, you continue to have to fret about all the varied weapons the Niners can throw at you thru the air.
Prediction
The Niners appeared nice in Brock Purdy’s return to the sector final week, and that was in opposition to a greater protection than the one they will face on Monday evening. I do know the Panthers lastly discovered a method to throw the ball all around the yard themselves final week, however that is nonetheless an aberration relating to their season-long efficiency. If San Francisco can maintain Rico Dowdle in verify, I feel the Niners ought to roll.
Prediction: 49ers 27, Panthers 16
