49ers finish toughest 3-game stretch in NFL history with 2 wins

The 49ers had one of the most brutal three-game stretches ever between Weeks 12 and 14. They passed the three tests with flying colors.

The 49ers had, by opponent record, the toughest three-game stretch in NFL history between Weeks 12 and 14. It was a set of games that was going to make or break San Francisco’s spot as a Super Bowl contender. They won two of the three thanks to a 48-46 come-from-behind victory Sunday against the Saints.

San Francisco’s schedule through 11 weeks wasn’t particularly impressive, although they were dominating much of it. Now there’s no more excuses for not putting the 49ers on the short list of Super Bowl contenders.

They trounced the Packers 37-8 at Levi’s Stadium. They hung around with the red-hot Ravens until a last-second, game-winning 49-yard field goal sealed the victory for Baltimore. Then Sunday they went to New Orleans and went blow for blow with the Saints and came out on top in the Superdome against the team that was supposed to be better.

Winning one of the three would’ve had the 49ers in position to take the NFC West and win the NFC’s No.1 seed. Instead, they won two and proved they can hang with any team, and win a close one on the road against an elite team.

If the 49ers hadn’t convinced people of their legitimacy prior to this three-game stretch, they’ve certainly done it with two wins in the most difficult three-game run in NFL history.

Candlestick Chronicles: Assessing 49ers’ status after loss to Ravens

The 49ers place in the NFC playoff picture changed Sunday, but they solidified themselves as Super Bowl contenders.

The 49ers on Sunday suffered their second loss of the season 20-17 to the Baltimore Ravens.

While they sustained a loss that ultimately dropped them to the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoff picture, things are still looking up for San Francisco. Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee and Kyle Madson assess where the 49ers are in the playoff race after Sunday’s action, and break down a slew of silver linings from the loss. They also pick out some winners and losers from Sunday.

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6 takeaways from 49ers’ loss to Ravens

The 49ers and Ravens played the game of the year Sunday in Baltimore.

The 49ers and Ravens played a remarkable game Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The back-and-forth contest underwent four lead changes and three ties with the home team emerging the 20-17 victors.

San Francisco took their second loss of the season, but the acquitted themselves well in an early, rainy road game. Here are six takeaways from the loss:

49ers are NFC’s best team

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers lost their second game of the season, but both of their losses came on last-second field goals against very good teams. San Francisco went into Baltimore and went blow for blow with arguably the best team in the AFC. The 49ers may have lost Sunday, but they showed the NFL they’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and should be the favorite to come out of the NFC. Don’t be surprised if Sunday was a preview of Super Bowl LIV.

Notes and observations from 49ers’ heartbreaking 20-17 loss to Ravens

What a game in Baltimore. The 49ers lost the back-and-forth contest no a 49-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. Here are our notes and observations from throughout the contest: – Kendrick Bourne came through with a 30-yard catch-and-run …

What a game in Baltimore. The 49ers lost the back-and-forth contest no a 49-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker.

Here are our notes and observations from throughout the contest:

– Kendrick Bourne came through with a 30-yard catch-and-run on a third-and-7 on the opening drive to help flip field position. He took it down to Baltimore’s 41. Bourne was money on the 49ers’ game in the rain in Washington. He may become a favorite target of Jimmy Garoppolo’s.

– Huge drop on second-and-2 by Deebo Samuel. As good as he’s been this year, drops have been a problem for the rookie.

– Wow. Samuel more than makes up for it with a contested 33-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-2 on San Francisco’s opening drive. That was money from the rookie, and a great throw by Garoppolo between two defenders.

– Huge pass breakup by Fred Warner on rookie WR Marquise Brown on second-and-10 set up the Ravens with a third-and-10 on their first series. Lamar Jackson’s deep shot to Willie Snead was too deep with Richard Sherman strapped to Snead in coverage. Forcing a punt on the first series is enormous for the 49ers’ defense.

– And Garoppolo fumbles on the 49ers’ second series. That’s how to lose to the Ravens. They’ll take over at the 49ers’ 23-yard line.

– Two plays later Baltimore is in the end zone. Tight end Mark Andrews was left wide open. Nice throw by Jackson, and a reminder of how quickly things can turn when the ball gets turned over against the Ravens.

– There was the first horrible Garoppolo decision of the day. He floated an out to Kittle that the linebacker dove in front of for the pass breakup. That has to be the last one of those Garoppolo makes.

– Baltimore’s gashing the 49ers run defense early. Jackson’s legs are the best offensive weapon in the league.

– The 49ers got a stop on third down, but Azeez Al-Shaair’s late hit on Jackson was flagged and extended the drive.  Baltimore scored three plays later. That’s an inexcusable penalty by Al-Shaair. 14-7 Ravens. All 14 points have come on 49ers miscues.

– Nice run by Deebo Samuel to open the 49ers’ fourth series. He went for 20 yards and dragged CB Marlon Humprey for extra yardage.

– Garoppolo’s made back to back nice throws under pressure. He’s fitting the ball in tight windows despite the rain.

– Well then. Raheem Mostert went 40 yards for a touchdown after the third-down completion to Emmanuel Sanders. It’s tied at 14. The 49ers badly needed that.

– DeForest Buckner was credited with a sack on a blitz from Fred Warner. Jackson got back to the line of scrimmage, but avoided a big loss with a nifty move to get out of the pocket.

– The 49ers got the Ravens into a fourth-and-2 with 5:03 left in the first half. Baltimore ran it on third-and-6 knowing they’d be going for it in this spot. They got the first on a quick throw to tight end Hayden Hurst.

– Another roughing the passer call. Sheldon Day got free and hit Jackson low. Getting to Jackson and getting him on the ground was key, but doing so legally is vital. 15 free yards for this offense is not good.

– The defense stiffened up to hold Baltimore to a field goal. It’s 17-14 with 1:58 left in the half. Holding Baltimore to three points is basically like holding them to zero.

– Another big run for Mostert opens the 49ers’ series before the end of the half. 19 yards for him and a nice start to the drive. George Kittle had a catch-and-run for a first down on the next play, but a illegal block by Emmanuel Sanders set San Francisco behind the chains. Another awful miscue.

– Mostert again! 16 yards on second-and-12, and he stopped the clock with 29 seconds left.

– San Francisco is settling for a 51-yard field goal in rainy, wet conditions. It wasn’t close. 17-14 Ravens lead at the half.

– Jaquiski Tartt is down early. He tried to go low on a tackle and appeared to take a knee to the ribs. That’d be a tough loss for the 49ers defense. Marcell Harris is in for him.

– Harris! He ripped the ball away from Jackson and recovered it on a long run by the quarterback. That was an incredible play the 49ers defense badly needed.

– Mostert is having a terrific day. He’s at 121 yards on 10 carries. Baltimore doesn’t have an answer for the running back.

– What a play by Garoppolo. He was swarmed by pressure and flipped it back at the last second to Mostert, who plowed ahead for five yards to set up a fourth-and-1.

– A close pass interference call on a fourth-and-1 throw to Emmanuel Sanders gave the 49ers a first down. A quick handoff to Kittle on first down went backwards.

– Third-and-8 and a shot to Sanders goes out of the end zone thanks to good coverage from Marcus Peters. Garoppolo hasn’t been afraid to throw deep which is a good sign.

– Gould converts a 32-yard field goal to tie the game. Perhaps more importantly, the 49ers ate 8:26 of game clock and gave their defense a rest.

– Jimmie Ward came up with a pass breakup on third-and-long. Ward got to tight end Mark Andrews a touch early, but the officials didn’t throw a flag. Baltimore challenged it unsuccessfully.

– What a punt and special teams play from Baltimore. Their punt after the non-PI call was downed at the 1. Huge series with 1:31 left in the third.

– Mostert got three on first down to get the 49ers a little room.  Then he got to the edge on second down for three more yards to set up a third-and-4. Then . Garoppolo found Sanders on third-and-4 for 12 yards and a first down. That’s big-time stuff from San Francisco.

– 18 more yards to Sanders on first down. This is the best Sanders has looked since his rib injury. He has four catches for 41 yards.

– Penalties are killing the 49ers on this series. A false start on Kyle Juszczyk put them behind the sticks before the last conversion. Now they’re sitting with a second-and-18 after a delay of game.

– Garoppolo’s third-and-10 throw skips in to Deebo Samuel. That throw is probably a pick-6 if it’s on the money. Cornerback Jimmy Smith had great coverage on the play.

– The 49ers defense is having a hard time tackling late in this game. Several broken tackles by the Ravens have gotten them extra yards.

– Wow. The Ravens go for it on fourth-and-5 from the 49ers’ 40 and Fred Warner breaks up a pass intended for TE Mark Andrews. Warner has been superb.

– Kittle’s first catch of the day is a big one. It’s a diving 13-yard grab for a first down with 9:16 to go in the fourth and the 49ers are into Ravens territory.

– The 49ers tried a fourth-and-1 pass and Ravens defensive lineman Chris Wormley batted the pass down at the line. Going out of the shotgun on fourth-and-1 was an interesting call.

– The 49ers defense got a stop on third-and-1 at the Baltimore 44, but it came with a price Richard Sherman went down on the 49ers sideline. He tried to re-enter the game but he couldn’t until after the next play.

– Jackson is excellent. He’s made a couple completions rolling to his right that seemed impossible. San Francisco is doing an awesome job defensively, he’s just making great plays.

– Two-minute warning. Baltimore is driving with a third-and-1 at the 49ers’ 30. This will likely be the final drive of the game. Baltimore can run the clock down and if they don’t get in the end zone, they have kicker Justin Tucker who is arguably the best kicker in league history.

– He drilled a 48-yarder for the 20-17 win. What a game. The 49ers fall to 10-2.

WATCH: Marcell Harris forces Lamar Jackson’s 1st fumble of year

Marcell Harris had the play of the day for the 49ers defense.

The 49ers defense needed a takeaway bad. Lamar Jackson took off down the sideline for a first down on third-and-1. Marcell Harris, who was in the game for the injured Jaquiski Tartt, ran Jackson down and ripped the ball away as the two went to the ground.

That’s a huge play for the 49ers defense.

WATCH: Raheem Mostert turns on jets for 40-yard TD run

Raheem Mostert answered a Lamar Jackson touchdown with one of his own.

The 49ers responded to the Ravens’ second touchdown of the game with a big-time drive. Deebo Samuel got it started with a 20-yard run, then Jimmy Garoppolo extended it with a nice third-down completion under pressure to Emmanuel Sanders. With a first-and-10 on the Ravens’ 40, Raheem Mostert took over.

The 49ers needed points bad on that drive, and getting production like that from Mostert is huge. Mostert has done a nice job finding the edge all day.

How to Watch 49ers vs. Ravens, NFL Week 13 Live Stream, Schedule, Prediction, TV Channel, Start Time

How to Watch 49ers vs. Ravens Live Online.

Heavyweights San Francisco (10-1) and Baltimore (9-2) meet Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens boast superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson and one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, while the 49ers defense has been lights out.  Baltimore leads the all-time series 4-2, including a narrow 34-31 victory in Super Bowl XLVII.

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49ers vs. Ravens (-5.5)

  • When: Sunday, December 1
  • Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

The 49ers lone loss of the season came against Seattle in an overtime thriller. This back half of their schedule doesn’t get any easier. After a 37-8 victory at home against Green Bay, they head on the road to face Baltimore and New Orleans. Jimmy Garoppolo completed 14 of 20 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Head coach Kyle Shanahan and company were ecstatic to have tight end George Kittle back after missing two games with an injury. Kittle, one of the best tight ends in the NFL, gave an instant boost to the offense with six catches for 129 yards and one touchdown.

The old adage that defense wins championships may be the 49ers ticket to the Super Bowl. This unit is holding opponents to an average of 248.0 YPG and opposing quarterbacks to an average of 136.9 YPG. Ferocious. That’s how the defense played against a quality Packers team and a future HOF quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had just 104 yards and one touchdown, one of the least productive games in his career. Fred Warner had 11 tackles and one sack, while Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa combined for eight tackles and three sacks. The defense has faced dual threat quarterbacks like Kyler Murray (twice) and Russell Wilson, but will it have an answer for Lamar Jackson? Containing him is the key to this game.

Jackson is quickly making a case for MVP honors and he displayed his highlight laden talents for all to see on Monday Night Football. Baltimore scored six touchdowns on its first six possessions as the Ravens dismantled the Rams 45-6 on the road. Jackson was 15 of 20 for 169 passing yards with five touchdowns and 95 yards rushing. This season he has a total of 3,303 yards of offense and 24 touchdowns. Mark Ingram Jr. has also been an integral part of the run game. The bruiser picked up his fourth 100+ yard rushing total in the win. Marquise Brown and Willie Snead were both on the receiving end of two touchdown passes on Sunday. This offense is ranked second in the league with an average of 433.3 YPG and is by far the best when it comes to the run. Baltimore is the only team with an average of over 200 YPG (210.5). Behind them is the 49ers (145.6 YPG).

While the offense dominated the time of possession, the defense has played well all season.  This unit is currently ranked third in rushing defense (87.7) and showed that against the Rams, as their rushing game picked up a mere 22 yards on the ground. San Francisco doesn’t have any superstars on offense but have a balanced attack that will keep Baltimore on its toes.

Prediction: With the high flying attack of Lamar and company our analyst Ryan Brandenburger is taking the Ravens to cover the 5.5 points in a shootout with two of the NFL’s heavyweights. Score: Ravens 35-24

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Behind Enemy Lines: 5 question 49ers vs Ravens preview with Ravens Wire

We sat down for a quick chat with Matthew Stevens of the Ravens Wire to preview the 49ers-Ravens showdown.

The 49ers’ most daunting matchup of the year is also their most unfamiliar.  They square off with the red-hot Baltimore Ravens and their MVP candidate quarterback Lamar Jackson.

San Francisco’s answered essentially every challenge this season, but the Ravens and their run-heavy attack spearheaded by the electric Jackson is extremely unique. We wanted to get some more info on the AFC’s No. 2 seed, so we went to our friend Matthew Stevens over at the Ravens Wire.

He answered a few questions for us about the Ravens’ high-octane offense, and their suddenly stingy defense.

Niners Wire: You’ve been tasked with stopping the Ravens offense — what’s the first thing you try and do?

MS: I think you have to stop Lamar Jackson. That means good contain on the edges and interior pressure to keep him inside the pocket and shrink it on him. That should keep him from absolutely killing you with his legs. But that still means you have to stop the interior power run game from Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards. Or the quick passing attack. Or the deep passing attack if Jackson gets any time and you leave someone like Marquise Brown one-on-one.

Ultimately, a defense has to have top-notch play in the secondary so you can leave guys on an island and commit more players to stopping the run. Few defenses have the capability of doing that but the ones that do can force Jackson to beat him with his arm and limited passing attempts. Still a tough task given how he’s played but in a few games earlier this season Jackson has some mediocre games.

NW: Baltimore is allowing 11.5 PPG since their bye week three weeks ago.What’s been the key to their sudden defensive dominance?

MS: There isn’t just one key but a bunch of new additions. Since Week 4, Baltimore has added six new players, either street free agents or the trade for cornerback Marcus Peters. Those six additions have all been impact players or outright starters at positions where the Ravens were seeing awful play, patching up the few holes they had. However, I’ll point to linebackers L.J. Fort and Josh Bynes as the difference makers here. Bynes got his first start in Week 5, just days after being signed, and had an interception. Both Bynes and Fort have played significantly better than the guys they replaced and solidified a linebacker corps that was downright awful early in the season. In turn, that allowed Baltimore defensive coordinator Don Martindale to throw more guys into the secondary and be more creative with how he schemes pressure, improving those areas.

Now with Peters and Jimmy Smith in the lineup at cornerback in addition to Marlon Humphrey and safety Earl Thomas, the secondary is on point. With the way the offense has been playing, it’s allowed the secondary to be more aggressive and net more takeaways.

NW: Who’s the most dangerous Raven on offense not named Lamar?

MS: I’d say running back Mark Ingram. Saying he’s difficult to tackle would be an understatement and there are plenty of Los Angeles Rams players probably sporting bruises from him running over them last week. He brings the power to an offense that could easily find themselves getting too cute and finesse for their own good with Jackson at the helm. By the third quarter, defenses feel what Ingram has done to them and they just don’t have the will or energy to try and chase Jackson around the field, giving way to even more points.

NW: How big of a loss is C Matt Skura?

MS: It’s a big one honestly. Skura had been playing really well, even though he was probably their fourth best offensive lineman. But whenever you lose a starting center, things are going to get downgraded. Centers make the protection calls and they’re the guys that touch the ball on literally every play. You can’t shove someone new in there and expect the level of play to stay the same either in the run game or throwing the ball. While his replacement, Patrick Mekari, played well last week when Skura went down, I’d expect the 49ers to test him for all 60 minutes.

NW: What’s your prediction for Sunday?

MS: As I’ve seen all season long, teams just can’t really contain Lamar Jackson and this rushing attack. And after a few punches in the mouth early, defenses tend to overcommit in an attempt to slow it down, opening up the passing attack. While San Francisco sports an amazing defense, I don’t think they have one player who can go toe-to-toe with Jackson without help. The second more defenders keep their eyes in the backfield, Baltimore has won that battle.

The 49ers are easily the toughest opponent the Ravens have faced this season but Jackson and kicker Justin Tucker are the edge here. Baltimore wins 34-27

Candlestick Chronicles: 49ers vs. Ravens a Super Bowl preview?

Chris and Kyle break down the 49ers’ toughest test of the season.

The 49ers and Ravens square off Week 13 in Baltimore for a possible Super Bowl LIV preview. San Francisco enters at 10-1, while the Ravens sit at 9-2 on a seven-game winning streak.

Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee and Kyle Madson preview the game and take a look at just how dominant Baltimore has been behind quarterback and MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson. They also break down how San Francisco might go about trying to limit Jackson on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.

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What’s at stake for 49ers vs. Ravens?

The 49ers badly need a win in Baltimore if they want to keep pace in the NFC.

The 49ers’ showdown with the Baltimore Ravens quickly became their most important contest of the year after the Seahawks and Saints both earned victories last weeks. San Francisco enters Sunday’s game in Baltimore with their first-round bye and home field advantage potentially on the line.

Here’s what’s at stake for the 49ers on Sunday:

With a win…

With a win the 49ers stay on top of the NFC and the NFC West. They also start 2-0 through that vaunted three game stretch vs. the Packers, Ravens and Saints.

San Francisco legitimized themselves as contenders in the NFC with their 37-8 thumping of Green Bay last week. They can leap to Super Bowl favorites if they knock off the Ravens.

A win would also be a step toward clinching a playoff spot. They can do so in Week 13 with victory and a Rams loss or tie.

With a loss…

A loss puts a couple of bad things into play. First, falling to 10-2 would allow the Seahawks to jump into first in the NFC West, and second place in the NFC. Seattle holds the tiebreaker with San Francisco, so they’d switch spots with the 49ers if they beat Minnesota on Monday night.

Moving to the No. 5 seed means the 49ers would lose home field advantage and their first-round bye.

Winning the NFC West is going to be imperative, and a loss Sunday puts immense pressure on the 49ers to stay in lockstep with Seattle until the two teams face off in Week 17. Ideally, that final game would be meaningless for the 49ers and they could rest their starters to get ready for the postseason. A loss to Baltimore puts that scenario much less realistic.