3 keys to victory for 49ers vs Panthers in Week 5

The San Francisco 49ers are vastly superior to the Carolina Panthers, but nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Here's what they need to do in order to secure a road win on Sunday.

49ers must win TOP battle

Through two Jimmy Garoppolo starts, it's clear the 49ers' offense is very much still a work in progress. Injuries have had plenty to do with that, but one Kyle Shanahan staple has been missing as well.

I mentioned it in our quarter-point review of the 2022 season, and it's something that must be rectified if this team is going to live up to its potential. The offense needs to be on the field more than the defense. This is also known as winning the time-of-possession battle. It's how teams control the game, and it's something we've seen this squad do quite successfully in years past.

In the past two games, a couple of things have stood out to me that give me reason for concern. The 49ers gained just 13 first downs in both games, and that led to the opposing team winning the battle on the clock. In both games, Garoppolo attempted more passes than the 49ers ran the ball.

Nobody loves a sparkling passing game more than I do, I can assure you. In fact, before Trey Lance was injured, my opinion was that Shanahan needed to use the passing game to set up the run, utilizing Bill Walsh's philosophical approach.

He can still do that, but the run game must be emphasized more in the coming weeks. Because if drives keep stalling and the defense has to keep coming onto the field, it could eventually lead to some brutal outcomes, both in the standings and on the injury report for our vaunted defense.

Repeat performance from Nick Bosa and Co.

The Panthers currently have one of the worst offenses in the NFL. The 49ers currently feature the league's best defense, and it's coming off a legendary performance in Week 4. I'd love to see that trend continue on Sunday.

Baker Mayfield is struggling with a capital "S."

In fact, the entire Carolina offense is about as disjointed as it comes. The Panthers rank third-worst in passing, have allowed 11 sacks in four games, are ninth-worst in rushing offense, and have turned the ball over six times.

The 49ers should absolutely feast upon Mayfield and the Panthers. Featuring the best pass-rushing defensive line in football, led by sack leader Nick Bosa (six sacks and 30 pressures!!!), the best safety in the NFL, Talanoa Hufanga, and an overall defense that's unmatched in overall talent, San Francisco has a legitimate shot at shutting out Carolina this weekend.

Oh, and Bosa just might have a bit of extra motivation to take Mayfield behind the woodshed, too.

There's blood in the water, and the sharks are ready to hunt.

49ers must not shoot themselves in the foot

Turnovers, penalties, and busted coverages. That's why the 49ers have two losses right now.

Even if the offense struggles a bit, San Francisco's defense is more than capable of carrying the team this weekend. It's the self-inflicted wounds that could doom the 49ers to another embarrassing loss.

All they need to do is execute, and they will exit Week 5 with a win. It's as simple as that. No dumb penalties (something that's been cleaned up exceptionally well the past few weeks), and no bone-headed plays by Mr. Garoppolo.

Let's get it, fam!