NFL.com and NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport has his thoughts on the game:
Week 15 primer:
» Ranking games in order of intrigue
Why this game is intriguing: When Dwight Clark leapt higher than one thought possible and came down with "The Catch" off a throw from Joe Montana, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was in the stands cheering for the San Francisco 49ers. It was his childhood team, the one he always wanted to play for. And it would provide a nice backdrop for this Sunday's showdown ... if only there wasn't so much else to find out. If Brady beats his hometown squad, maybe he'll find some satisfaction in that. But on Sunday Night Football, this mega-rumble will be all about 2012. It might also be a Super Bowl preview, especially if the Patriots continue to perform like they did in their most recent prime-time battle, when they completely dismantled the Houston Texans on Monday night. It won't be easy, though. As Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo told me this week, facing a quarterback like Colin Kaepernick adds a dimension that few other teams present.
On Twitter:#SFvsNE