Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers: Tale of the tape

The defenses

It’s not just on offense Atlanta has the advantage, but on defense too. The San Francisco defense is a shell of its former self with so many key pieces departing this past offseason. What remains is a unit that can’t stop the run or the pass.

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It’s important to remember that the 49ers defense is forced on the field often due to its poor offense. San Francisco is No. 28 in time of possession, according to TeamRankings.com. But nonetheless, it’s a defense the Falcons should be able to expose.

Atlanta’s defense is far from dominant, especially stopping the pass, but it has been a force against the run in 2015. The Falcons are allowing just 83.4 yards per game, which will be key in this game. Stopping the run and making the 49ers one-dimensional is important, especially with an inexperienced quarterback under center.

The Falcons have the advantage on both sides of the football, but this means for very little if the team doesn’t improve on its recent performances. Sloppy mistakes at critical times like last week, and Atlanta will enter the bye with a third loss. If the team plays anywhere near the level it can do, it should enter the week off with seven wins in the bag.