Falcons visit the injury-riddled 49ers in search of a third straight win

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Atlanta (3-2) at San Francisco (4-2)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC.

BetMGM NFL Odds: 49ers by 2.

Against the spread: Falcons 3-2; 49ers 3-3.

Series record: 49ers lead 48-33-1.

Last week: Falcons beat Bills 24-14; 49ers lost to Buccaneers 30-19.

Last meeting: Falcons beat 49es 28-14 at Atlanta, Oct. 16, 2022.

Falcons offense: overall (2), rush (1), pass (12), scoring (27).

Falcons defense: overall (1), rush (17), pass (1), scoring (7).

49ers offense: overall (6), rush (30), pass (1), scoring (24).

49ers defense: overall (15), rush (14), pass (18), scoring (15).

Turnover differential: Falcons plus-3; 49ers minus-5.

Wide receiver Drake London took over the position against Buffalo when the Falcons were without two receivers who opened the season as starters. Darnell Mooney was held out with a hamstring injury and in a surprise, Ray-Ray McCloud was a healthy scratch because of what Raheem Morris said was a coach’s decision. London had 10 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown.

LB Tatum Bethune. With four-time All-Pro Fred Warner out for the season with an ankle injury, Bethune is set to make his second career start for the 49ers. Bethune had played only three snaps on defense before stepping in for Warner last week. He had 10 tackles against Tampa Bay and now will call the defensive signals in Warner's absence.

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. 49ers LBs. Robinson leads the NFL with 822 yards from scrimmage after gaining 238 last week. Slowing him down will be a tough task for a Niners defense missing Warner, putting heavy pressure on Bethune and Dee Winters.

Falcons: LT Jake Matthews left Monday's game with an ankle injury and his status is in doubt this week. Matthews has started 183 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. ... Edge Jalon Walker (groin), CB Clark Phillips III (triceps, illness) and CB Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring) also are dealing with injuries this week.

49ers: San Francisco could get TE George Kittle back after he's missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. ... QB Brock Purdy returned to practice on a limited basis this week but it's unknown whether he will be back or miss his third straight game with a toe injury. ... WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) could be sidelined again. ... WR Jauan Jennings has been limited by injuries to his ankle, ribs and shoulder.

The Falcons have won three of the past four meetings in the series. ... Atlanta is 7-4 against San Francisco since leaving the NFC West during the 2002 realignment. ... Niners coach Kyle Shanahan spent two seasons as OC in Atlanta and Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich played 10 seasons for the 49ers.

Both teams rank in the top six in yardage and the bottom 10 in scoring thanks in part to poor red zone play. Atlanta ranks 27th in the NFL by scoring TDs on 43.8% of red zone drives, while San Francisco is 28th at 42.9%. ... The Falcons lead the NFL with 151.2 rushing yards per game and rank second in possession average, holding the ball 33 minutes, 8 seconds per game. … The ball-control offense is a big reason Atlanta also ranks first in total defense, giving up only 253.4 yards per game. … The Falcons, who rank second in total offense (378.8), are the only team in the NFL to rank in the top five in both total defense and total offense. … Atlanta’s 443 yards against Buffalo, including 335 yards in the first half, were the most for any NFL team in Week 6. … The Falcons’ improved defense has had 14 sacks, the team’s high total through five games since 2005. The total includes four sacks in Monday night’s 24-14 win over Buffalo. ... The 49ers are averaging 291.5 net yards passing per game for their third-highest total through six games and 82.2 yards rushing for their second fewest. ... San Francisco has fewer than 85 yards rushing in five straight games for the first time in franchise history. ... The 49ers rank 30th in yards rushing per game at 82.2 and last in yards per carry at 3.06. ... The Niners have gone an NFL-record 13 straight games without intercepting a pass, covering 404 straight attempts. ... Christian McCaffrey has at least 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this season and can tie Roger Craig's franchise record of seven straight to start a season set in 1988. McCaffrey can become the first player in the NFL with at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of the first seven games of a season since Adam Thielen in 2018. ... K Eddy Pineiro is 15 for 15 on FGs since signing with San Francisco in Week 2 and has the most makes without a miss for any kicker in his first five games with a team. ... San Francisco rookie DE Mykel Williams had his first career sack last week.

San Francisco WR Kendrick Bourne has 15 catches for 284 yards the past two weeks but could have his share of the passing game reduced with Kittle expected back this week and Pearsall possibly returning. Bourne had only one career 100-yard receiving game before topping 140 in each of the past two games.

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