49ers game plan: Matchup with Tony Gonzalez is one to watch
49ERS GAME AT A GLANCE
Opponent:Time:
Line:
Records:
TV/radio:
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez vs. 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis
Gonzalez insists he’s retiring at the end of the season, but his statistics suggest he can play at least another year. The 17-year veteran has 71 catches and leads his team with seven touchdown catches. Meanwhile, the 49ers have had trouble defending tight ends the past two weeks, first the Seahawks’ Luke Willson and then the Buccaneers’ Tim Wright last week. Both had touchdown catches, and Wright led all receivers in Tampa. The task of covering Gonzalez mostly will fall to Willis and safety Donte Whitner. In last season’s NFC Championship Game, Gonzalez had eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
THREE KEYS TO GAME
INJURY REPORT
49ERS
• Questionable: G Mike Iupati (knee), WR Mario Manningham (illness, knee), TE Vance McDonald (ankle), LB Dan Skuta (foot)
• Probable: LB NaVorro Bowman (wrist), CB Tarell Brown (ribs), WR Michael Crabtree (ankle, wrist), C Jonathan Goodwin (not injury related), RB Frank Gore (ankle, knee), DT Justin Smith (shoulder)
FALCONS
• Out: WR Darius Johnson (ankle), S Zeke Motta (hand, neck)
• Questionable: TE Tony Gonzalez (toe), RB Antone Smith (knee), LB Sean Weatherspoon (knee)
• Probable: S Thomas DeCoud (concussion)
– Matthew Barrows
49ERS SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent | Results |
| Sept. 8 | Green Bay | W, 34-28 |
| Sept. 15 | at Seattle | L, 29-3 |
| Sept. 22 | Indianapolis | L, 27-7 |
| Sept. 26 | at St. Louis | W, 35-11 |
| Oct. 6 | Houston | W, 34-3 |
| Oct. 13 | Arizona | W, 32-20 |
| Oct. 20 | at Tennessee | W, 31-17 |
| Oct. 27 | at Jacksonville | W, 42-10 |
| Nov. 3 | BYE | |
| Nov. 10 | Carolina | L, 10-9 |
| Nov. 17 | at New Orleans | L, 23-20 |
| Nov. 25 | at Washington | W, 27-6 |
| Dec. 1 | St. Louis | W, 23-13 |
| Dec. 8 | Seattle | W, 19-17 |
| Dec. 15 | at Tampa Bay | W, 33-14 |
| Date | Opponent | Time |
| Today | Atlanta | 5:40 p.m. |
| Dec. 29 | at Arizona | 1:25 p.m. |
This story was originally published December 22, 2013 at 10:25 PM with the headline "49ers game plan: Matchup with Tony Gonzalez is one to watch."