Bengals vs. 49ers: Full San Francisco Game Preview

Last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns feels as if it set the San Francisco 49ers franchise back a good 10 years as the team now looks to regroup against a 10-3 Cincinnati Bengals team coming to Levi's Stadium in Week 15.

At 4-9, the 49ers' 2015 season has been a major disappointment—far from the hopes generated prior to the beginning of the year in which fans grasped new head coach Jim Tomsula and his team would prove the doubters wrong.

But that hasn't been the case. And the results speak for themselves.

San Francisco limps back home, both literally and figuratively, from an embarrassing loss in Cleveland with a division-leading opponent in its way.

Yet the 49ers have been slightly better at home this season. Three of the Niners' four wins have come in Santa Clara, California, and the 49ers will benefit from not facing a full-strength Bengals squad on Sunday.

This changes the makeup of the game to a large extent. Can San Francisco find a way to pull off an upset? Or will Week 15 be yet another ugly chapter in this underwhelming season?

Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

Time: 1:25 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

NFC West Division Standings

• Arizona Cardinals (11-2)
• Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
• St. Louis Rams (5-8)
• San Francisco 49ers (4-9)

San Francisco's ugly defeat at the hands at the Cleveland Browns, who previously had two wins on the season, marked a low point in a season of lows for the 49ers.

The 24-10 score makes the game sound closer than it actually was. 

Offensively, the 49ers were outgained 481 yards to 221. And 230 of Cleveland's total yards came on the ground. The Browns had entered the game with the league's worst rushing offense.

The 49ers managed just three points until the 1:42 mark of the fourth quarter—a garbage-time touchdown from quarterback Blaine Gabbert to wide receiver Jerome Simpson.

And Gabbert's career resurgence took a big hit during the game. Actually, it took a few.

Gabbert was sacked a total of nine—yes, nine—times, which tied a franchise record for most sacks allowed in a single contest.

San Francisco's third-down woes also continued. The 49ers were 2-of-13 here. Punter Bradley Pinion got a lot of action, obviously.

On the flip side, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was effective enough to throw for 270 yards and a touchdown against one interception. And running back Isaiah Crowell gashed San Francisco's run defense for 145 yards and two end-zone scores.

Sloppy defensive play and poor tackling ensured the Browns came away with an easy victory.

Disagreement Between Jim Tomsula and Joe Staley

The 49ers' loss in Cleveland should spark some outrage and disappointment. And veteran left tackle Joe Staley—San Francisco's longest-tenured player—was among the first to comment about the team's efforts.

Or lack thereof.

“You can’t take anything lightly,” Staley said, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. “We’re not in a position to take anything lightly. You have to take it one week at a time and not (care) about records. We’re in a position where we have to play our (butts) off every week. And today we didn’t do that.”

When asked about Staley's comments, head coach Jim Tomsula offered a different opinion.

“Yeah, I would just have to disagree,” Tomsula said, per Barrows. “I don’t think that was the case at all.”

These are just words, but fans may wonder if there may be a growing disconnect between the locker room and head coach.

Blake Bell and Andrew Tiller Are Plusses

With tight ends Vance McDonald (concussion) and Garrett Celek (ankle/IR) unavailable for Week 14, rookie TE Blake Bell got his first chance to start since joining the team this season.

Bell had some mishaps in pass protection but generally handled himself well and ended up leading all 49ers pass-catchers with 49 yards on three receptions.

Since taking over starting snaps at right guard, Andrew Tiller has also been another positive note. Tiller handled his duties well in Cleveland and, over the last six weeks, has accumulated a plus-11.5 overall grade, according to Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus.

Tiller has put himself into consideration for a starting job along the offensive line in 2016.

Injury-Depleted Bengals

The 49ers are dealing with their own injuries in advance of Week 15, but the Bengals will also enter this contest shorthanded.

Quarterback Andy Dalton (hand), tight end Tyler Eifert (concussion) and defensive backs Adam Jones (ankle) and George Iloka (groin) all make Cincinnati's injury report. Dalton is out, which means rookie quarterback A.J. McCarron will get the start. 

Eifert has been the Bengals' best red-zone threat with 12 touchdown receptions on the season. He's questionable along with Jones and Iloka.

This changes the complexion of the game—as further argued by David Fucillo of Niners Nation. So it will be interesting to see if the 49ers can take advantage of this.

RB Carlos Hyde (Foot)—Injured Reserve

The 49ers have officially placed running back Carlos Hyde on season-ending injured reserve, which means running back Shaun Draughn will continue to get primary reps through the remainder of the season.

Running back Travaris Cadet also saw limited action in Week 14.

LG Alex Boone (Knee)—Out

Left guard Alex Boone suffered a minor MCL tear in his right knee and, while the injury doesn't appear to be serious, will likely miss the rest of 2015, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

Boone is poised to be a free agent after this season and will command a hefty contract on the open market. It's plausible he's played his last game in San Francisco.

With the return of center Daniel Kilgore to his former position, offensive lineman Marcus Martin moved over to Boone's former spot. Martin will likely stay there for the remainder of the year barring injury.

LB Michael Wilhoite (Ankle)—Questionable

Linebacker Gerald Hodges got the start over fellow LB Michael Wilhoite, who did not travel with the team, in Week 14.

Wilhoite is nursing an ankle injury suffered the previous week and is still listed as questionable. Should he be unavailable against the Bengals, Hodges should be starting with Shayne Skov the backup linebacker.

LB Aaron Lynch (Concussion)—Questionable

The 49ers missed linebacker Aaron Lynch's pass-rushing prowess in Cleveland and will likely need it to generate pressure on Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron.

Lynch still needs to pass through the NFL's concussion protocol in order to return.

Third-year linebacker Corey Lemonier got the start in Week 14 and didn't exactly have the best results. He graded out with a minus-3.2 overall grade, per PFF—the lowest single-game mark he's had this season.

TE Vance McDonald (Concussion)—Questionable

Tight end Blake Bell was the primary beneficiary of TE Vance McDonald's concussion-related absence.

McDonald missed Week 14 after suffering a concussion the previous week versus the Chicago Bears. He's emerged as one of quarterback Blaine Gabbert's favorite targets and posted his first two receiving touchdowns of his three-year career.

The 49ers also have tight end Brian Leonhardt on the roster.

49ers Run Defense vs. Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill

San Francisco's run defense was gashed in Cleveland, and missed tackles were a primary culprit behind the 49ers allowing 230 yards on the ground.

Things won't get any easier with the Bengals, especially with their offense likely focusing on the rushing attack with quarterback Andy Dalton unavailable.

Cincinnati running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill have 647 and 604 rushing yards between them, respectively. And this tandem has combined for a total of 11 touchdowns. The dual-headed threat presents an obvious challenge for a San Francisco defense boasting a minus-37.4 PFF grade on the season.

Tramaine Brock vs. A.J. Green

Even without his starting quarterback, wide receiver A.J. Green remains a primary threat for the potent Bengals offense.

Green has 1,169 receiving yards on 76 receptions and is tied for second on the team with eight touchdown grabs.

Frequently facing off against Green will be 49ers No. 1 receiver Tramaine Brock. Brock owns a plus-4.3 pass-coverage grade this season, per PFF.

Erik Pears vs. Carlos Dunlap

This should be a scary matchup and not one in favor of the 49ers.

Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap is Cincinnati's best pass-rusher with 10.5 sacks to his credit this season. And he'll frequently be lining up opposite right tackle Erik Pears.

Pears has been one of the worst 49ers lineman in pass protection this season and enters the contest with a minus-6.6 pass-protection grade, per PFF. He has also allowed nine sacks and 32 quarterback hurries on the year.

Anquan Boldin vs. Dre Kirkpatrick

If cornerback Adam Jones is unable to go for the Bengals on Sunday, fellow corner Dre Kirkpatrick will likely find himself frequently lined up opposite wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

Boldin has been San Francisco's best receiver this season with 617 yards on 51 receptions. But it took the 49ers nearly three quarters to get Boldin involved on offense last week in Cleveland. Expect offensive coordinator Geep Chryst to try to get the veteran some early looks to test the Bengals secondary.

49ers' X-Factor of the Week: Blaine Gabbert

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert would likely want to forget his efforts against the Browns—a game that saw him pass for a mere 150 yards while taking nine sacks.

Bouncing back will be a critical step for Gabbert to ensure his chances toward being the No. 1 guy under center for the 49eres in 2016. 

And he'll have to do it against a tough, tough Bengals defense.

Cincinnati ranks No. 2 in the league in points allowed (229). And moving the ball on the ground won't be easy either. The Bengals have the ninth-best run defense in the NFL, having given up just 1,250 rushing yards this season.

So that means Gabbert will have to move the ball through the air in order to be effective.

The Bengals are slightly more vulnerable against the pass with the 17th-best passing defense in the league (3,154 yards allowed). And the potential absences of defensive backs Adam Jones and George Iloka could open up some opportunity.

Gabbert will need help though. His offensive line, which played poorly last week, will have to provide protection against a formidable Bengals pass rush. And his receiving targets will need to create space and get open.

It's a tall order, but Gabbert will need to supply the ability to make it happen.

Odds Shark currently lists the Bengals as 4.5 favorites with an estimated score of 25-16.4 in favor of Cincinnati.

The spread would have been greater had it not been for the injury suffered by quarterback Andy Dalton. Still, the Bengals have plenty of other weapons and also boast a formidable defense—more than enough to ensure the 49ers remain underdogs.

True, the 49ers do play better football at home. Tackling doesn't appear to be as major a problem within the confines of Levi's Stadium, and that should help. Not having to face off against Dalton and, possibly, tight end Tyler Eifert plays into San Francisco's favor.

But San Francisco still has far too many questions and weaknesses to reach for some sort of upset here. 

If the Bengals defense was suspect—it's not—the 49ers would have a chance to come away with a home victory against a worthy opponent who, potentially, could overlook a bleak San Francisco squad.

This may be the best chance for the 49ers to pull off an upset. With the Bengals locking in on their postseason hopes, perhaps Cincinnati plays down to its competition and allows San Francisco to simply stay in the game long enough to force something to happen.

It's not likely though.

The Bengals may not be able to run up the score, but they shouldn't have any trouble securing their 11th victory. Meanwhile, the 49ers reach double digits in the loss column for the first time since 2010.

Prediction: Bengals 24, 49ers 13

All statistics, injury reports, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.

Peter Panacy is a Featured Columnist covering the San Francisco 49ers for Bleacher Report. Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.