Ravens (11-3) at 49ers (11-3)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California TV: Fox
Spread (BetMGM):
49ers by 5.5
Ravens’ keys to victory: Baltimore should take a page out of the Cardinals’ offensive book and abuse the 49ers’ banged-up defensive line with a heavy dose of its run game. QB Lamar Jackson is more than capable of winning a game through the air, but the Ravens should get behind RB Gus Edwards against a good 49ers pass defense. Defensively, the Ravens need to vary their looks. If they can win up front with DL Justin Madubuike and Jadeveon Clowney and confuse 49ers QB Brock Purdy by disguising coverages with S Kyle Hamilton and LBs Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith, they should force turnovers.
49ers’ keys to victory: Controlling the ball with RB Christian McCaffrey and short throws to WR Deebo Samuel should help set a physical tone that has helped San Francisco beat some of the NFL’s other top teams. Defensively, the Niners must contain Jackson and force him to throw it from the pocket. It’s not that he can’t win from there, but it makes things much easier on the secondary if they’re not adjusting to WRs who are following the Jackson scramble. LBs Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw will be paramount to slowing Jackson and Baltimore’s run game.
Matchup to watch: Ravens’ Jackson vs. 49ers’ Warner. Warner takes away the middle of the field as well as anyone. If Jackson can avoid him as a runner and beat him in coverage, it might be hard for the Niners to get stops.
Who wins? Given how banged up the 49ers are, the Ravens seem primed to stake their claim as the NFL’s best.
Ravens, 34-30