The Atlanta Falcons are going to face a tall task in Week 7, as they're set to host the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon. It'll mark Raheem Morris' first game back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after the Falcons fired him in January, so the revenge game will offer added emotion, but nothing can understate the importance of this game for Kevin Stefanski and company.
The 2-4 Falcons dropped winnable games to the Ravens and Bears in each of the last two weeks, and badly need to sustain the momentum we saw in Weeks 3 and 4. It's making it a lot harder to believe in Stefanski and this new coaching staff, but a statement of an upset would help the home fans buy in.
However, this 49ers roster is one of the most talented in the NFL, and current MVP favorite Brock Purdy won't make it easy on anybody. They have no shortage of star power on both sides of the football, and while Purdy is dangerous, what about the guys he's throwing to? Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle are two of the best in the business and you can't sag off on either of them.
We know what those two have to offer, but what about the rest of the Niners? Let's dive into the matchups that are bound to make it hurt for the Dirty Birds on Sunday. Hopefully a defense getting some reinforcements will be able to stop the bleeding.
These 3 49ers should have the Atlanta Falcons shaking in their boots
RB Christian McCaffrey
This has to be the low-hanging fruit, and as I'm sure you could tell by the title, Christian McCaffrey is a nightmare matchup for the Falcons. D'Andre Swift and the Bears may have been mostly kept in check last week, but do I need to remind you of what Derrick Henry and the Ravens did on the ground?
McCaffrey is tied for the league lead among all running backs with seven rushing touchdowns, as he added two more to his total against the Commanders last week. But he also has a five-game touchdown streak that's still active--and I'm sure that this number should extend to six this weekend.
The 30-year-old is coming off of a 400-touch season in which he caught over 100 passes, added 1,200 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground, and scored 17 total TDs. The only reason he didn't lead the NFL in scrimmage yards is because of a man we all know and love named Bijan Robinson.
Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich told reporters on Thursday that he thinks CMC has "found the fountain of youth" given he's playing at such a high level at this stage of his career. And he's right. Running backs have such short shelf lives it makes what he's done this year so rare, but he's not your ordinary RB.
This guy can do damage on the ground, he does damage through the air, and with the amount the Niners like to feed him, this Atlanta defense keeping him in check is paramount to success.
OT Trent Williams
We spoke about McCaffrey, but what about another Niner getting better with age? Trent Williams is 38 years old and almost certainly a future Hall of Famer--and even in Year 16, he's still got it. For all of the offseason drama he provides them, no one can deny he's still a high-level performer on the field.
In 329 pass-blocking snaps this season, Williams has given up just five pressures and no sacks. And According to Pro Football Focus, his 86.3 PFF grade is second among all qualified tackles, and he leads all tackles with an 87.9 pass blocking grade. Part of why Purdy has been so effective is having the ultimate form of stability protecting his blind side
Despite the lack of star power, this Falcons' defensive line is near the top of the NFL in both pressures and pressure rate, but Samson Ebukam, Cameron Thomas, Za'Darius Smith and company have got home against weaker lines. Doing that against weaker competition is one thing, but this is one of the best ever, and even Ulbrich acknowledges the challenge getting of home against him.
"He’s going to be one of the best left tackles in the history of this game," Ulbrich said. "It’s amazing at 38, I don’t feel regression. He’s a great challenge and I posed that the group. Embrace that."
And given the Falcons typically rush four and don't like to blitz, they're going to need extra bodies getting to Purdy this week.
LB Fred Warner
The Falcons are a team that loves to run the football and wear a defense down, so a team that knows how to stop the run is their worst nightmare. Enter the 49ers, who are allowing the seventh-least rushing yards per game, and while their DL deserves credit, Fred Warner is the glue that keeps this unit together--especially without Nick Bosa.
He gets to the quarterback, he's a great tackler/run defender, he can step up in coverage, and his football IQ is unmatched. Only Jacob Rodriguez and Alex Singleton have more tackles than him, and nobody has more forced fumbles, so while Atlanta's gameplan will be to ride Bijan Robinson until the wheels fall off in this one, Warner will always be there in cleanup.
The four-time All-Pro's football IQ is unmatched to the point that even Bijan referred to him as the best at his position. There is no linebacker in football as reliable as him, so having him make plays all over the box won't make life any easier in the ground game or for Michael Penix Jr. through the air.
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