While Sunday’s matchup with the Atlanta Falcons does not set the 49ers against one of the NFL’s elite teams, it could be a tricky proposition. San Francisco is ailing and the defensive line has lost three of its most crucial pieces over the last few weeks.
The headline on Sunday is that Nick Bosa, the league’s leader in sacks and pressures, will miss out with a groin injury. That leaves the line without Bosa, Arik Armstead, or Javon Kinlaw, who was placed on injured reserve this week.
Below are the team’s inactives:
- Nick Bosa
- Trent Williams
- Tyler Kroft
- Jimmie Ward
- Arik Armstead
- Danny Gray
Atlanta, though, got a boost in the form of second-year tight end Kyle Pitts. Pitts missed out last week with a hamstring injury, but returns to the lineup for this week.
Here’s the full list of Falcons inactives:
- ILB Mykal Walker
- S Erik Harris
- OL Chuma Edoga
- WR Jared Bernhardt
- TE Anthony Firkser
- OLB Ade Ogundeji
Does this have the makings of a trap game? The last time the 49ers faced the Falcons, in 2019, that was the case, though they were beaten by Matt Ryan and Julio Jones at the final second.
That’s a little different than Marcus Mariota and a rookie Drake London and Kyle Pitts, but Atlanta is a frisky team, and they almost beat the Buccaneers last week. They perhaps would have if not for that horrific roughing the passer call against Grady Jarrett.
Atlanta and San Francisco are slated for the early-morning 10 a.m. kickoff. This game will conclude the 49ers’ two-week stay on the East Coast.