49ers vs. Saints Week 12: Game Preview and Prediction

A low-level team like the Saints should be an easy outing for the 49ers, especially with a rare matchup at home instead of in New Orleans.

Week 12 is a rare occasion for the 49ers when they face the Saints.

This will mark the first matchup since 2016 that the 49ers play host to the Saints. Before that, it was 2010 as the last regular season matchup between the two teams. The 49ers getting the Saints away from New Orleans is a rare occasion.

It is also the first time that the 49ers will face them without Sean Payton and Drew Brees. The Saints are now a joke with Dennis Allen as head coach and Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback. This is nowhere near the same threatening team that has given the 49ers a tough matchup. They struggle to run the ball with a great running back in Alvin Kamara, inconsistent in passing, and defense is average.

There is absolutely no way the 49ers should lose this game.

Much like the matchup with the Cardinals, this is a game that the 49ers have to win and should do it in dominant fashion. True playoff and Super Bowl contending teams take care of business against the weak ones. New Orleans outside of the Caesars Dome is a more susceptible side. It doesn't matter if the 49ers are coming off a short week traveling fairly far. They should have no problem beating down the Saints.

The defense of the 49ers will once again be in prime form. Dalton is going to have a long Sunday afternoon. He should feel grateful that the 49ers have grass and not turf as he will be hitting the ground a lot this week. Kamara and rookie receiver Chris Olave are the only players the 49ers have to key in on. That shouldn't be too much to handle. They might get their yards, but the points won't show for it. The Saints might as well just forfeit this game. While they are it, they should just forfeit their season the rest of the way.

San Francisco is surging right now. Their defense has been elite all year long and their offense looks to be finally figuring it out. This needs to be another 30-point performance from the 49ers. Jimmy Garoppolo should be on the money again throwing it to vast talents, while the running game should see efficiency behind Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell. Kyle Shanahan just needs to call the offense that keeps the defense off-balance as he did against the Cardinals.

But I really don't think the 49ers need to adapt to how the Saints are playing. They'll be able to call whatever they want and generate success at will. I'm fully bought in that the 49ers are hitting their stride and that last week was not a fluke. New Orleans will be lucky to put more than 17 points and there is no way they will hold the 49ers to fewer than 20. Handle your business at home and get locked in for the following matchup with a dangerous Miami Dolphins team.

Saints 14 49ers 31