Football fans throughout the country will be treated to an exciting gift on Christmas Day when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Baltimore Ravens.
It will be a showdown of two teams tied for the best record in the NFL, as well as a possible preview of this season’s Super Bowl.
While both teams can put points up on the board, they have gotten this far on the strength of their respective defenses.
The 49ers are second in points allowed while the Ravens are first in that category, and per Pro Football Focus, the two teams also rank first in two different defensive categories.
The Ravens’ front seven is excellent, and last week versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, they forced Trevor Lawrence into completing just 25 of 43 pass attempts while sacking him six times.
San Francisco also has an outstanding front seven, but they excel in forcing turnovers, another defensive category in which they rank first.
If they have a deficiency on that side of the football, it could be certain aspects of their passing defense — they rank 15th in passing yards allowed and have seemed susceptible at times in terms of giving up big yardage plays downfield.
Meanwhile, the Ravens’ running defence could be vulnerable.
Monday’s game will also feature a showdown between 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, the overwhelming favourite to win the MVP award, and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is now ranked second in the MVP odds.
Purdy might win the award if he performs well and the Niners defeat the Ravens.
