A week ago at this time, this game didn’t appear to have much meaning.
But after Week 14, where the Rams upset the Bills and the 49ers throttled the Bears, suddenly, both of these teams are angling for the NFC West crown.
The loser is toast.
Kyle Shanahan has dominated Sean McVay head-to-head (10-5). If you remove the Week 18 game last year in which backups played, the two McVay wins against Shanahan since 2019 were both fourth-quarter comebacks.
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The 49ers are as banged up as any team in the NFL. Their top three running backs before the season started are now on IR, and the defense will probably be down four starters if Nick Bosa misses his fourth consecutive game.
The 49ers’ beat down of the Bears is confusing because Chicago simply didn’t show up. San Francisco jumped the Bears early for a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
Before that, the 49ers lost badly to the Packers and Bills on the road.
This feels like the last team with the ball wins, as both stop units have left something to be desired this season.
In the Week 3 meeting, the 49ers went up 14-0 after a quarter and up 21-7 midway through the third. They led by 10 with seven minutes left before a total collapse that included special teams miscues (they missed a 55-yard field goal and gave up a 38-yard punt return). They also had a brutal dropped pass that would have ended the game.
The 49ers are the better team, but the way their season has gone (2-4 in one-score games), be careful if this gets to three.
PICK: 49ers (-2.5) to win by more than 2.5 points
Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports betting analyst who also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead. Follow him on Twitter @JasonRMcIntyre.
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