Frank LorenzoThe NFL’s week 16 will close with the last game in Candlestick Park history as the San Francisco 49ers host the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, at 8:30 PM ET.
After the win by the Cardinals in Seattle, the 49ers are obligated to win on Monday and keep the pace of the second best team in the NFC West.
“There will be tremendous memories from everybody that’s ever played there,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “That’s why it’s important for us not to screw it up and make sure we get this win this (Monday).”
“That was then, this is now. It’s the next game,” Harbaugh said of the rematch aspect against the Falcons, who were eliminated by the 49ers in the NFC championship a year ago. “We desperately want to win. I’m sure they feel the same way. It certainly has been evidenced this whole season that everybody’s fighting too”.
Atlanta is eliminated and fighting for nothing, but they will love to close the season on a high note.
“The first (point of emphasis) is winning the turnover battle and the second one is winning the explosive battle,” coach Mike Smith said. “You put those two things together, and it’s the toxic differential that you look at. More times than not, the teams that are in the top 12, most of those teams are in the playoffs.”
Atlanta is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against San Francisco. The NFL odds have the 49ers as 14.5 point favorites for this one.
