The 49ers have looked like the best team in the NFL so far this season, but Sunday’s trip to Atlanta has all the makings of a trap game.
San Francisco has barely had to travel since returning from Australia following its season opener, playing four of its last five games at home and making only a short trip north up to Seattle.
Now, the 49ers must travel across the country on a short week after narrowly escaping the Commanders in Santa Clara on Monday night.
That 23-17 victory also exposed some potential problems for San Francisco’s offense.
The 49ers jumped out to a 20-3 halftime lead but managed just three points after the break, with their offense sputtering following Mike Evans’ departure with an Achilles injury.
San Francisco averaged 9.3 yards per play with Evans on the field, compared to just 4.5 and zero touchdowns after he exited.
His status for Sunday remains uncertain, although it wouldn’t be surprising if Evans sat out with a bye looming in Week 8, and the 49ers are already dealing with several injuries at wide receiver.
That could be a problem against an Atlanta defense that has been among the NFL’s toughest against the run and most effective at pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
Given how they’ve played, the Falcons’ 2-4 start isn’t what they hoped for, but they have enough offensive firepower to keep this competitive at home.
Betting on the NFL?
With the 49ers facing an unfavorable travel schedule, a short week, and mounting injuries, I’ll gladly take the points with Atlanta.
The play: Falcons +3.5 (-110, BetMGM Sportsbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
