If you like punts, odds are you’re going to love Sunday’s game between the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers. These are two of the top teams in the NFC this season and the main reason is they both have extremely potent defenses.
Here’s a look at how they compare in some traditional and advanced stats and where they rank compared to the rest of the NFL.
| Stat | 49ers | Rank | Panthers | Rank | Advantage |
| Points allowed per game | 10.7 | No. 2 | 22.2 | No. 15 | 49ers |
| Pass yards allowed per game | 133.5 | No. 1 | 225.0 | No. 7 | 49ers |
| Rush yards allowed per game | 90.0 | No. 8 | 119.0 | No. 23 | 49ers |
| Interceptions | Seven | No. 8 | Nine | No. 2 | Panthers |
| Pass breakups | 37 | No. 4 | 44 | No. 3 | Panthers |
| Fumbles recovered | Six | No. 4 | Six | No. 4 | Tie |
| 3rd down % allowed | 30% | No. 3 | 41.2% | No. 19 | 49ers |
| Sacks | 20 | No. 5 | 27 | No. 1 | Panthers |
| Adjusted sack rate | 11.5% | No. 1 | 9.4% | No. 2 | 49ers |
| Pass rush win rate | 46% | No.15 | 41% | No. 21 | 49ers |
| Pass defense DVOA | -60.6% | No. 2 | -25.5% | No. 3 | 49ers |
| Rush defense DVOA | -14% | No. 12 | 6.0% | No. 30 | 49ers |
Going into last week’s games, Pro Football Focus had the Panthers defense ranked No. 6 in the league and the 49ers defense No. 2.
That sounds about right from where we’re sitting. While it’s a strong unit overall, Carolina’s run defense has been suspect at times and they’ve given up too many yards and points in garbage time situations that have made some of their wins more interesting than they should have been. San Francisco’s defense is a little better overall.
Either way, expect a low-scoring game and a playoff type atmosphere.
