The 49ers will look to move to 4-0 against the NFC South on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. With a win on Sunday, the 49ers will clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2013. It could be tough with six players on the defensive side of the ball out due to injury.
Here are the six matchups to watch on Sunday:
DE Nick Bosa vs. LT Jake Matthews
This should be a one-sided matchup for the 49ers. Their defensive line, led by Bosa is third in the league with 45 sacks, only behind Pittsburgh and Carolina. The Falcons offensive line on the other hand have allowed 41 sacks with 16 coming in the last three weeks. While the 49ers will be down Dee Ford, they’ll still have Bosa, who’s capable of wrecking an offense by himself. The entire defensive line should have a huge day, but Bosa will be spearheading the effort against Matthews, who made his first Pro Bowl last season. If Matthews can slow down Bosa by himself, the Falcons have a chance to handle the rest of that unit. If Bosa goes off, it’ll be a long day for Matt Ryan.
Emmanuel Moseley/Ahkello Witherspoon vs. Julio Jones
The bad news is that the 49ers will be down both Richard Sherman and K’Waun Williams on Sunday against arguably the best receiver in the NFL. The good news is that Moseley and Witherspoon have both played well all season and should be fine without the usual depth. Jones is one of the best weapons in the league on the perimeter, and has 69 catches for 1,016 yards and four touchdowns this season. He’ll be a tough matchup for whoever guards him, and how well Moseley and Witherspoon do against him will dictate how effective the Falcons’ passing attack is.
Raheem Mostert vs. Falcons run defense
Mostert is expected to get a heavy workload Sunday based on how well he’s played in recent weeks. He’s proven to be a dual-threat option out of the backfield last week with 69 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns. The Falcons’ defense is not very good. They’re 26th in passing defense DVOA according to Football Outsiders. They’re 16th in run defense DVOA. Mostert has become a valuable weapon for the 49ers’ offense, and if Atlanta gives him the chance, he could have his third consecutive productive day.