San Francisco vs Miami (MIA -1 , 44.5)
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San Francisco vs. Miami | Sunday, December 22, 2024
This Sunday afternoon fixture features two teams that started the season with playoff ambitions, only to have fallen resoundingly short. Not only that, but they are both coming off very disappointing losses that have brought plenty of unwanted pressure onto the starting quarterbacks and head coaches.
Despite both teams playing well below expectations for much of the year, either team is capable of clicking and showing up on any given Sunday. The 49ers looked back to their brilliant best two weeks ago when downing the Chicago Bears, in the same week that Tua Tagovailoa and his offense came up clutch to down their division rival New York Jets. There is a lot of talent on each roster, and this game should be entertaining, despite the records associated with each team.
Arguably the most dangerous unit to take the field on Sunday will be the Miami passing offense, although the question marks surrounding an injury to Jaylen Waddle won’t help. Especially considering the 49ers are giving up the second-fewest passing yards per game, with 181. Waddle’s injury could funnel more work to Tyreek Hill, which we already know isn’t exactly a bad option. Also, look for De’Von Achane to be even more involved in the passing game, having received at least seven targets in each of his last three outings.
Tua Tagovailoa is in desperate need of a bounce back after passing for 196 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions last week against Houston. He had passed the 300 yard mark in each of his previous three outings, making him one of the hottest signal callers in the league, but last week will have shaken his confidence. It will be interesting to see how he rebounds against a 49er defense that knows Miami’s offensive system well, and is giving up just 6.6 yards per passing play, which is fourth best in the NFL.
For San Francisco, it has been a rollercoaster of a season, largely due to the up-and-down nature of Brock Purdy‘s performances. When clicking, the 49ers are an efficient and dangerous passing attack, but without Christian McCaffrey in the backfield, and Brandon Aiyuk threatening deep, they have lacked consistency. Miami should fancy their chances to limit Purdy on Sunday, as they are giving up just 205 passing yards per game, which is eighth-best in the NFL. The good news for Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan, at least, is that Miami ranks in the bottom 10 when it comes to pressuring the quarterback, which means the 49ers' subpar offensive line should be able to hold up. This will be essential if we are going to see the good version of Brock Purdy, who is in line for a new contract this offseason.
The other key match-up to keep an eye on in this game is that of the two head coaches, Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel. The two worked very closely together, first in Washington, and then in San Francisco, and are widely regarded as two of the best offensive minds in the NFL. They don’t get an opportunity to face off too often, so the pressure will be on to earn the bragging rights.
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