New England Patriots: 3 Bold predictions for Week 7 vs. 49ers
3. Patriots will face a balanced attack in 49ers offense
One thing that has carried the Patriots for really the last few seasons has been the play of their defense, which is not something you would expect out of a team that has been led by legendary quarterback Tom Brady for the last few decades before Cam Newton took over under center at the start of the 2020 season.
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But that has been the reality for Bill Belichick and company, who have relied on New England’s defense to carry the squad on any given week while allowing the offense to do just enough to try and pull out a win.
So far this season, that has especially been the case for the Patriots after experiencing some bumps along the way on the offensive side of the ball with a new-look unit that is still trying to find its identity now led by Newton.
In Week 7 against San Francisco at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, New England’s defense is once again going to have to try and step up against Jimmy Garoppolo and company on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
Going into Sunday, the 49ers have displayed a relatively balanced offensive attack both through the air in the passing game and on the ground in the rushing attack. Entering the game, San Francisco has been a little more pass-heavy than run-reliant but is still relatively balanced.
The 49ers rank 10th in the NFL in passing yards (1,581) while throwing for 10 passing touchdowns. On the ground, they rank ninth in the league in rushing yards (767) along with eight rushing touchdowns (tied for third-most).
New England’s defense and its performance is always crucial on any given week, but that might especially be the case against the incredibly balanced San Francisco squad this weekend.