49ers vs. Panthers Preview/Prediction: Which Defense Will Prevail?

The 49ers and Panthers are trotting out impressive defenses, but only one will hold up the longest to steer the team to a win in Week 5.

Back in the winners circle for the 49ers after tossing the Rams around on Monday Night Football.

Now they have to refocus and set their sights on a short week against a lesser opponent across the country in the Carolina Panthers. Games like these, especially after a highly motivated matchup, tend to be a struggle for good teams. 

Getting up for the Panthers is not the same for the 49ers as it was for the Rams in a revenge game on primetime. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them start off slow. I’m fully expecting that for the offense. I’m not at all expecting that from the defense. 

This game is a battle of two impressive defenses: which will prevail? 

Both defenses will face an average-to-porous offense led by questionable quarterbacks. The 49ers, despite mustering two touchdown drives, were stagnant on offense against the Rams for the majority of the night. Carolina is a better defense and they’re getting a Niners side on a short week and traveling far. However, the 49ers are built to win this game and it’ll be won in the second half. 

This is all about the “long game” approach here with the 49ers. Their offense is predicated on running the football heavily and going with short passes to their skill players using the entire width of the field. That is going to cause Carolina to chase all day long and if the 49ers are able to sustain multiple long drives, then the Panthers will start to cave.

So long as no turnovers are committed by the offense, then I see no reason why they can’t put up close to or about 20 points. And if they’re able to get anywhere close to that, then they will win. There is no way a Baker Mayfield led offense is going to put up more than a touchdown, if at all, against the Niners defense. He’s going to be eating grass all game long. I almost feel bad for him knowing that he’s in for a beating. 

I expect Mayfield to look like a tackle dummy out their against the 49ers pass rush. He will cough up the fumble at least twice and it will give great field position to the offense. Carolina has no skill players worth fearing. D.J. Moore can’t get fed the rock in an effective manner and Christian McCaffrey is a shell of himself.

The game will end when one of these defenses caves and that will be Carolina. The 49ers will prevail defensively and look phenomenal again. You just hope the offense can just play their part and not put the defense in a compromising position. My prediction record so far is 1-3 after I picked the Rams last week (I’m a quack for that), so let’s see if I can get back into the winner’s circle as well.

49ers 23 Panthers 10