Falcons catching the 49ers at the right time for an upset

The Falcons are 0-3 at home, 2-4 on the season, and head into Week 7 looking to do what nobody else has managed through the first six weeks — beat the San Francisco 49ers.

Not many people are giving Atlanta much of a chance, which is more than fair. Kyle Shanahan’s group has looked far and away like the best team in football, with a couple of really impressive wins already over the Rams and Seahawks.

But in this league — especially in the middle of the season — it’s often not about who you play, but when you play them.

This week could be a perfect example. The 49ers enter having played Monday night against the Washington Commanders, meaning they’ll be on a short week and traveling across the country. That’s a massive scheduling edge for the Falcons, who haven’t left home since a road game against the Saints on October 5th.

The 49ers are also dealing with a slew of injuries to key pieces. Mike Evans left Monday night’s game right before halftime with injuries to his ribs and Achilles. He isn’t practicing, and his absence was a big reason the Commanders were able to mount a second-half comeback.

Deebo Samuel also isn’t practicing after missing Monday’s game with a hamstring injury. On the other side of the ball, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams — two key cogs of the 49ers’ defensive front — aren’t practicing either. Bosa hasn’t played since Week 2, though Shanahan is hopeful that changes this week.

This is how upsets in the NFL are created. Nobody is confusing the Falcons for the better team, but the entire 49ers roster is banged up, and they’re traveling across the country to play an early game for their body clocks on a short week. Atlanta has every reason to be motivated against one of the league’s best, and they should be desperate to avoid dropping another game in the standings.

Over the last several years, the Falcons have been the most unpredictable team in the NFL. They lose to the worst teams but typically show up against the best, beating the Bills and Rams on primetime just last season. This one has all the makings of another upset if Atlanta plays its A-game on Sunday.

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Photo: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire