2022 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 6

San Francisco 49ers (3-2) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3)

Sunday, October 16, 1:00 PM ET

After dropping a Sunday night game in Denver a couple of weeks ago, the San Francisco 49ers have been looking much, much better in the last two weeks with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm. Garoppolo hasn’t thrown any interceptions and the 49ers’ defense has been stepping up big time.

Notably, the 49ers are getting an absolute breakout year from safety Talanoa Hufanga, a fifth-round pick out of USC in 2021 who has seen his game take an astronomical leap forward in 2022. Hufanga’s emergence this season has helped the 49ers maintain dominance at times defensively. He’s already got a pair of touchdowns and that’s coming off the heels of scoring a special teams touchdown in last year’s playoff game against the Packers.

Both Atlanta and San Francisco have good running games offensively but that is where San Francisco can really put teams away quickly if they are in sync. Against the Panthers, 49ers running back Jeff Wilson was absolutely outstanding, averaging 7.1 yards per carry.

The Falcons have been a tough out for teams so far this season. Even against the Buccaneers, they only lost by six points. Head coach Arthur Smith has that team playing much better this season, even without much of a passing game to speak of. That’s been frustrating for Falcons fans because Kyle Pitts and Drake London are two of the best players on that roster.

Without Cordarrelle Patterson, will the Falcons be able to lean on those guys more in this matchup?

Prediction: 49ers win 31-22