So it is possible -- the New England Patriots can lose with Tom Brady under center. It took several weeks and an up-and-down game that included seven different lead changes, but they are now 7-2 on the season after their loss to the Seattle Seahawks. They'll go into Week 11 hoping to get things back on track against a San Francisco 49ers team that has suffered eight straight losses.
Patriots vs. 49ers 2016: Start time, TV schedule for Week 11 matchup
Do the 49ers present a trap game for the Patriots in Week 11?
The 49ers have looked somewhat better on the field in the last few weeks, but they’re still leagues away from being a good football team. Chip Kelly’s squad looks far worse than any recent 49ers team and there is little hope for things getting much better from here. But that doesn’t mean the Patriots can overlook them.
San Francisco will be considered a “trap game” for its opponents the rest of this season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick admitted the potential when referencing a loss last season.
"People were talking about the same thing last year about the Eagles and they came in here and hammered us," Belichick said.
In Week 13 last season, the Eagles under Kelly beat the Patriots, 35-28. The Eagles were better off than the 49ers at that point and Kelly himself seemed to downplay the potential for an upset this week, suggesting he had more talent with the Eagles than he has now. That’s up for debate, but the 49ers certainly aren’t utilizing their best weapons.
Wide receiver Torrey Smith was a major free agent pickup a year ago, but he is currently fourth on the 49ers with 17 receptions for 243 yards and two touchdowns. He trails tight end Vance McDonald and wide receivers Quinton Patton and Jeremy Kerley. Patton was thought to be nearing the end of his time with the 49ers after struggles in recent seasons, while Kerley was a late addition to the roster near the start of the season.
To make things worse, running back Carlos Hyde has been banged up again this season and hasn't run the ball well. Hyde has 122 carries for 443 yards with six touchdowns, a per-carry average of just 3.6 yards. He missed some time with an injury but returned for San Francisco's last game, a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which Hyde had just 14 yards on 13 carries.
The 49ers came up just short of beating the Cardinals, but lost on a late field goal. Colin Kaepernick played decent football, throwing for 210 yards and a touchdown and adding another score on the ground.
New England came up just short against the Seahawks, as well. The Patriots were down a touchdown and made it all the way to the goal line on the final drive, just like the Seahawks did in the Super Bowl two years ago. And like the Seahawks, the Patriots couldn't punch it in. This time, Seattle took home a 31-24 win.
Brady threw for more than 300 yards, but he didn’t have a touchdown and threw his first interception of the season. Predictably, he’s been top-notch this season, completing 72.9 percent of his passes for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’ll be looking for a big game against the struggling 49ers defense on Sunday.
Below is all you need to watch Sunday’s game.
How to Watch Patriots vs. 49ers on Sunday
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl
Online Streaming: Sunday Ticket
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