For the record: The 49ers boast a three-game winning streak, rallying from a 14-point deficit at St. Louis on Monday night despite losing top linebacker Patrick Willis to injury.
Streaking: The return to dominance features an unlikely path. The 49ers have fallen behind in every game of their streak, including a mistake-filled first half against the Eagles.
Who’s hot: Colin Kaepernick runs faster than any other quarterback in the league. He possesses the strongest arm, clocked at 93 miles per hour in high school as a pitcher. As he steadies, the 49ers follow suit. Kaepernick has thrown only one interception in his past four games. He passed for 343 yards in the victory over the Rams, including a season-high 9.5 yards per attempt. His ability to make plays outside the pocket, throw against his body and turn upfield yardage are the biggest threats to the Broncos’ undefeated home record.
Who’s not: Frank Gore impersonates a steamroller on weekends, flattening opponents for tough yardage between the tackles. However, he has been streaky this season. The Rams held him to 38 yards on 16 carries.
Key stat: San Francisco revels in drama this season. Each week, another story surfaces about how this could be the end of coach Jim Harbaugh’s run with the 49ers regardless of whether they win a Super Bowl. Harbaugh excels in crisis. The 49ers are 18-7 on the road under his watch.
Coachspeak: “I don’t know how he saw him back there behind the defense.” — Harbaugh, on Kaepernick’s off-balance TD throw to Anquan Boldin on Monday
