JOURNAL SPORTS
SAN FRANCISCO – New Orleans has had a couple of encouraging outings recently, and this afternoon, the Saints get their stiffest test.
Fresh off a 27-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints have another NFC West battle against one of the surging teams in the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers, in a 3:25 p.m. matchup in Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season.
Saints quarterback Andy Dalton and company will face a 49ers defense ranking first in the NFL in total defense (283.9 ypg) and fourth in opponent points per game (17.3 ppg).
The San Francisco defense is strong against the run, allowing a league-low 3.4 yards per carry and a league-low 81.1 rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, the Saints average 4.7 yards per carry, led by Alvin Kamara, the versatile running back who leads the team with 511 yards on the ground and is second on the team with 385 receiving yards.
Like New Orleans, the 49ers have faced their shares of ups-and-downs this season. Their 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance entered the season as the starting quarterback but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo has started since and has led San Francisco to a 5-3 record, completing 67 percent of his passes for 2,159 yards and 15 touchdowns to four interceptions with a 104.1 passer rating.
The Saints, at 4-7, are on the edge in a lackluster NFC South race. The 49ers (6-4) are emerging as the team to beat in the NFC West.
New Orleans is aiming to post consecutive wins for the first time under head coach Dennis Allen. Rotating in Taysom Hill at quarterback has proven effective in the team’s latest two triumphs, sandwiched around a 20-10 loss to a struggling Pittsburgh squad.
