Three Players To Watch When Baltimore Ravens Battle The San Francisco 49ers

Who are the key players that need to step up for the Ravens to pull out a win in San Fran?

Is there a bigger matchup in the 2023 regular season than the one we fans are about to see on Monday night?

When the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens battle in Santa Clara on Christmas Night, fans will be able to see the two leading teams in both the NFC and AFC try and separate themselves from others in their conference. 

The 49ers have been a juggernaut all season. Shaking off some early season slides, San Fran has blown out both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys - long considered the two viable teams in competition with the Niners for dominance in the NFC. 

Lamar Jackson & Isaiah Likely / Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports

For the Ravens, the AFC has seen tougher all-around opponents on their docket, but a dominant defense and MVP-caliber quarterback has helped mitigate those concerns. 

With a game this late in the season pitting the league's two best teams together, who has an edge? 

For the Ravens to overcome a 49ers-led avalanche though, three players will need to step up. 

Roquan Smith

You would think that a linebacker with the fourth-most tackles in the league wouldn't need to be targeted in a piece like this.

Smith's 142 combined tackles have put him on the path to another All-Pro season. 

The way the 49ers play on offense though, even a player as good as Smith is going to be heavily tested. San Francisco uses plenty of motion to disguise what they want on offense and has top players like Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel to stress the speed, athleticism, and coverage ability of any linebacker in football. 

Smith has had a coverage grade well over 80 per Pro Football Focus for the better of the entire 2023 season. He's not the player offenses should be trying to test, but it's a safe bet 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will give it a shot anyway. 

Morgan Moses

Ronnie Staley isn't 100% going into Monday Night's contest. That's a major blow going against a 49ers pass rush that has both Chase Young and the reigning defensive player in Nick Bosa. 

Bosa, though, usually attacks from the right tackle spot making Morgan Moses a major key in the Ravens winning. 

Moses grades out at an elite 77.9 per Pro Football Focus in 2023 and has been a calming presence along an offensive line that has been banged up all year. If he can win the battle against Bosa outright (that is to say without added help) it could provide the Ravens offense a chance to help Staley or whoever starts at left tackle this week against Young. 

John Harbaugh, Ravens Ready For 'Big Challenge' Against 49ers

Nelson Agholor

For a player that has just six catches in his last three games, why would Nelson Agholor be on a list like this? 

Well, judging based on how good the 49ers' secondary is - especially against top receivers, the Ravens will need to have every single receiver capable and willing to make big plays. 

It's a safe bet to assume that while San Fran will be focused on the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. or Zay Flowers, a player like Agholor could go unseen at times. Lamar Jackson has trusted him enough all year, and I think this is a game where he can be used more than people expect. 

There is always an unknown player who steps up in big games like this, and Agholor could be that guy.