Lamar Jackson is on every defense’s bulletin board, but for the upcoming MNF game, 49ers’ HC Kyle Shanahan has someone else on the lookout. This comes mere days before the top leaders in their respective conferences, the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, are set to battle it out on Christmas.
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The Niners’ head coach recently praised the Ravens’ safety Kyle Hamilton before the much-awaited game on Monday. He mentioned that while watching the tapes of the Ravens’ defense, Hamilton was all over the field. Despite being in his second year, Shanahan considers him the best safety in the league.
Kyle Shanahan also expressed that the Ravens were fortunate enough to have acquired such a talented player as Hamilton and believes it would be tough for other teams to strategize against him. He said,
“You watch the tape of that defense & he’s literally everywhere. He’s in year 2 & he’s already the best safety in the NFL. It’s going to be hard to gameplan around him. I’d say the Ravens hit the lottery with him.”
#49ers HC Kyle Shanahan on #Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton:
“You watch the tape of that defense & he’s literally everywhere. He’s in year 2 & he’s already the best safety in the NFL. It’s going to be hard to gameplan around him. I’d say the Ravens hit the lottery with him”
— Lamar & Order: RPO (@moneymarlo44) December 21, 2023
Many are claiming the Christmas night clash between the AFC and NFC leaders to be the preview of the Super Bowl LVIII game. Both teams are entering Week 16 with an 11-3 record, but the odds favor the 49ers by about five points. The main reason they are likely seen as winners is because the game is being played at the 49ers home ground, Levi’s Stadium. However, Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton isn’t pleased with this prediction.
Hamilton expressed feeling disrespected by the odds as he believes the Ravens are currently the best teams in the league. However, he sees this game as an opportunity to prove to everyone watching across the country that they can be the top team in the NFL.
The Kyle Hamilton Effect on Ravens
Before starting his pro football career, Kyle played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The 2021 Consensus All-America Award winner recorded 138 tackles in 31 games while playing for Notre Dame for three seasons. In 2022 he decided to enter the NFL draft and the Baltimore Ravens selected him as the 14th overall pick in the first round.
Hamilton has been a defensive weapon for the Ravens since he joined the team. In 14 games this season, he has achieved 3 sacks, made 76 tackles, delivered 4 hits to the quarterback, defended 10 passes, and forced 1 fumble. In the upcoming game, the Ravens’ safety will play an important role in demolishing the 49ers’ deadly offensive attacks.
The San Francisco 49ers have a really strong offense which is currently the third-most effective offense in the 14 weeks since 1981. But the Ravens are excellent in defense, ranking second by allowing an average of 287.0 yards per game. With these differences in their strengths, the Monday Night game will be super intense and a must-watch showdown.
