Pros
- The 49ers are a big 8.5-point favorite in this week’s contest, likely creating an extreme rushing game script.
- Christian McCaffrey has picked up 59.0 yards per game on the ground this year, one of the highest marks in the NFL among running backs (80th percentile).
- Opposing offenses have rushed for the 9th-most yards in the NFL (135 per game) vs. the New Orleans Saints defense this year.
- The New Orleans Saints have stacked the box vs. opponents on just 13.5% of their plays since the start of last season, 9th-least in the NFL. Choosing not to bring an extra defender close to the line of scrimmage improves pass defense at the expense of run-stopping.
- The San Francisco 49ers have used some form of misdirection on 68.6% of their play-calls since the start of last season (most in the league), which usually keeps the defense guessing and improves offensive efficiency.
Cons
- THE BLITZ projects the San Francisco 49ers to be the 9th-least run-oriented offense on the slate this week with a 37.1% run rate, based on their underlying tendencies and matchup dynamics.
- THE BLITZ projects this game to play at the 11th-slowest pace among all games this week, averaging 26.96 seconds per play given the tendencies of each team and game dynamics.
- The San Francisco 49ers have called the 9th-least plays in the league this year, averaging a lowly 55.9 plays per game.
- The forecast calls for 4-mph wind in this game. Low wind typically means increased pass volume, increased touchdown potential, and increased passing effectiveness.
- THE BLITZ projects Christian McCaffrey to be a less important option in his team’s running game this week (42.4% projected Carry Share) than he has been this year (59.5% in games he has played).
Projection
THE BLITZ
52
Rushing Yards