This is going to be a very interesting game as the Eagles are beat up right now.  The 49ers will likely play things close to the vest once again in this game.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the 49ers have the ball:  Even with Frank Gore (ankle injury) gimpy, the Niners are going to try to run the ball a lot in this game against an Eagles’ D that is allowing 131.3 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry.  If Gore can’t go or is limited, Kendall Hunter and Anthony Dixon will see increased workloads.  Alex Smith has been sacked 11 times so far this year while the Eagles already have 12 sacks this year, which means that he is going to have to get rid of the ball quickly.  That means that TEs Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker are going to get a lot of throws their way.  It would be nice to see a WR step up for the 49ers, but I don’t see that happening this weekend against the Eagles.

When the Eagles have the ball:  Michael Vick is gimpy with a badly bruised right hand, but it looks like he’s going to try to play.  The Eagles are rushing for 182.0 yards per game (5.4 ypc), while the Niners are only allowing 62.7 yards per game (2.9 ypc) so something has to give.  Inside linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman are heat seeking missiles and they are going to be homing in on Lesean McCoy and Michael Vick this Sunday.  McCoy is one of the most underrated RBs in the NFL as he has already rushed for 345 yards (6.1 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  If the 49ers’ DEs and OLBs can contain Vick in the pocket, they could pull the upset in this game.  The 49ers need to give safety help to the corners on Jeremy Maclin and Desean Jackson.

PREDICTION:  EAGLES 20, 49ERS 17

No one is running on the 49ers as opposing teams are only averaging 62.7 yards rushing per game and 2.9 yards per carry so far this year!  A big part of the reason for that is the play of the inside linebackers.  23-year old NaVorro Bowman and 26-year old Patrick Willis have been dominating this year.  Bowman has played in all 3 games for the Niners so far this year and he has 30 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 pass defensed.  Willis has played in all 3 games this year for the Niners too, and he has 22 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.  Willis & Bowman control the middle of the field, forcing teams to try to attack the edges of the defense.

28-year old RB Frank Gore is iffy for next weeks game with the Eagles due to an ankle injury.  Gore has gotten off to a rough start this year for the Niners.  He has played in all 3 games this year and he has carried the ball 59 times for 148 yards (2.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 6 passes for 36 yards (6.0 avg) so far this year.  If Gore can’t go against the Eagles, rookie 23-year old Kendall Hunter would likely be the featured back.  He has played in all 3 games so far this year and he has carried the ball 11 times for 30 yards (2.7 ypc) with 1 TD run and he has also caught 2 passes for 12 yards (6.0 avg).  24-year old Anthony Dixon would also see a positive bump in P.T.  He has played in all 3 games for the Niners so far this year and he has 1 carry for 6 yards.  The 49ers will need all hands on the deck to beat the desperate Eagles, so they hope that Gore is ready to go next Sunday.

The 49ers played in close to the vest offensively and the defense made it stand up.  Alex Smith was sacked five times yesterday as he looked like a human pinata at times.  He still managed to complete 20 of 30 passes for 201 yards without a TD pass or interception.  Frank Gore had another rough game with 42 yards rushing on 17 carries (2.5 ypc) with a lost fumble.  Kendall Hunter was semi-effective for the 49ers yesterday with 26 yards rushing on 9 carries (2.9 ypc) with 1 TD grab and he also caught 2 passes for 12 yards (6.0 avg).  Fullback Bruce Miller pitched in with 1 carry for 2 yards and 4 grabs for 25 yards (6.3 avg) in this game.  TE Vernon Davis led the way for the Niners in the passing game with 8 grabs for 114 yards (14.3 avg).  The 49ers rushed for only 50 yards on 29 carries (1.7 ypc) and they completed 20 of 30 passes for 176 yards as they had possession of the ball for 35:20.

The defense was outstanding for the Niners in this game!  LB NaVorro Bowman led the way for the Niners in this game with 13 tackles and 1 QB hit.  Safety Dashon Goldson (8 tackles) and LB Patrick Willis (8 tackles and 1 pass defensed) also had solid games for the Niners.  Safety Reggie Smith and CB Carlos Rogers had one interception apiece for the Niners in this game.  The Bengals finished up with 79 yards rushing on 20 carries (4.0 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 32 passes (53.1%) for 149 yards.  The 49ers are now 2-1 on the year.

The San Francisco 49ers have been very conservative on offense and I think it’s because they are attempting to shorten the game by controlling the clock.  That is likely to happen again this Sunday against the Bengals in Cincinnati.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the 49ers have the ball:  The 49ers are going to come out trying to run the ball with Frank Gore against a Bengals’ run defense that is allowing 107.0 yards rushing per game but only 3.5 yards per carry.  That means that Gore is likely going to have to fight for every yard he gets in this game.  The Niners don’t have a lot of talent at WR, but Alex Smith is going to have to take some shots down the field or the Bengals are just going to double cover TE Vernon Davis the whole game.  That means that Josh Morgan, Ted Ginn, Michael Crabtree or Kyle Williams is going to have to step up.  The Niners need to establish a running game this week to slow the Bengals’ pass rush while allowing Alex Smith to throw some deeper passes off play action.

When the Bengals have the ball:  The Bengals might just come out throwing the ball against the Niners, so they better be ready for it.  Rookie QB Andy Dalton has a 105.7 QB Rating through his first two NFL games and that is outstanding.  He is moving the ball around to a lot of receivers, but Jerome Simpson (8 rec, 180 yards) and rookie A.J. Green (11 rec, 165 yards, 2 TDs) are true gamebreakers.  The Niners are going to have to get to Dalton, because the corners have not played well so far this year.  The front seven are going to have to deal with Cedric Benson (180 yards rushing, 4.4 ypc and 1 TD run), but they should be up to the challenge as opposing teams are only rushing for 54.0 yards per game and 2.5 yards per carry.

PREDICTION:  BENGALS 20, 49ERS 13

The Niners need 26-year old Ted Ginn, 23-year old Kyle Williams or 24-year old Michael Crabtree to step up with Braylon Edwards on the shelf for a while.  Michael Crabtree has been a huge disappointment so far in his career and he has only caught 1 pass for 4 yards this year as he has been complaining about his foot still hurting.  Ted Ginn has been a special teams ace for the Niners so far this year and he has also caught 4 passes for 38 yards (9.5 avg).  Ginn doesn’t like to go over the middle of the field too much, so his upside is probably limited.  Kyle Williams has only caught 1 pass for 12 yards so far this year, but it was a very nice catch that went for a TD.  He is the darkhorse of this trio.  The Niners don’t care which one of these guys steps up as long as one of them does.

The 49ers have lost 28-year old WR Braylon Edwards likely for multiple weeks as he had surgery today to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.  This is a big blow to the 49ers as Edwards was expected to be the #1 WR in 2011.  He has played in both of the games so far this year for the 49ers and he has caught 4 passes for 48 yards (12.0 avg).  The Niners hope that Edwards is a quick healer because they really need him.

The 49ers have been very conservative offensively so far this year, but Smith has been very efficient.  Smith has played in both of the games for the 49ers so far this year and he has completed 31 of 44 passes (70.5%) for 303 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 INT (95.2 QB Rating).  Smith has also carried the ball 10 times for 43 yards (4.3 ypc) with 1 TD run so far this year.  At some point the 49ers are going to need to start being more aggressive with the passing game and they expect Smith to step up when that time comes.

The 49ers gave this game away yesterday.  The Cowboys tied the game on the last play of regulation with a 48-yard FG.  Then the Niners won the toss and went three and out.  The Cowboys drove right down the field and kicked a 19-yard FG to finish off the Niners in O.T.  the 49ers need to quit being so damn conservative on offense and open up the playbook!  Alex Smith completed 16 of 24 passes for 179 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 21 yards (7.0 ypc) in this game.  Frank Gore had a rough day as he carried the ball 20 times for 47 yards (2.4 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 3 passes for 17 yards (5.7 avg) for the Niners.  WR Ted Ginn (4 grabs for 38 yards), TE Delanie Walker (2 rec, 38 yards, TD), WR Josh Morgan (3 rec, 35 yards) and WR Kyle Williams (1 rec, 12 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Niners yesterday.  The 49ers finished up with 74 yards rushing on 24 carries (3.1 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 24 passes (66.7%) for 132 yards as they had possession of the ball for 30:43.

The defense was impressive against the run but horrible against the pass in this game.  LBs NaVorro Bowman (10 tackles, 1 pass defensed) and Patrick Willis (9 tackles) led the way for the Niners on D yesterday.  Safety Donte Whitner (4 tackles, 3 passes defensed and 1 interception) and CB Tramaine Brock (4 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) also made some big plays for the Niners.  The Cowboys finished up with 45 yards rushing on 22 carries (2.0 ypc) and they also completed 26 of 43 passes (60.5%) for 427 yards.  The 49ers are now 1-1 on the year.

The 49ers have pretty solid momentum going into this game.  The defense and special teams were awesome  for the Niners last weekend!  If the offense can pick up the pace, they might just be a surprise team in the NFL.  A lot will be found out about the Niners this weekend as the Cowboys are likely a much better team than the Seahawks are.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the 49ers have the ball:  The 49ers hope that they will be able to run the ball better this weekend.  The Cowboys only gave up 45 yards rushing on 16 carries (2.8 ypc) against the Jets last week, so Frank Gore will likely have to fight for every yard he gets.  This is going to be a week that the Niners need Alex Smith to step up.  The Cowboys have a lot of injuries at cornerback, so Smith needs to get the ball down the field to Braylon Edwards, Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan.  The O-Line will have to give Smith time to throw the ball to take shots down the field as the Cowboys had 4 sacks last week against the Jets.  OLB DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys deserves special attention from the Niners.  TE Vernon Davis is also in line to have a big game as the Cowboys’ safeties (Abram Elam and Gerald Sensabaugh) scare no one.

When the Cowboys have the ball:  The front seven will have to stop Felix Jones without a lot of help from the secondary, who are going to have their hands full with the TEs and WRs of the Cowboys.  Patrick Willis and the rest of the front seven should be able to handle Jones while also providing a solid pass rush.  The Niners had 5 sacks last week, and Tony Romo gets antsy in the pocket when he feels heat.  TE Jason Witten is Romo’s favorite receiver, so safeties Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner are going to be busy.  CBs Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown are going to have to step up to deal with WRs Dez Bryant and Miles Austin.

PREDICTION:  COWBOYS 27, 49ERS 24