New England (1-2) at San Francisco (1-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT, FOX
BetMGM NFL odds: 49ers by 10.
Against the spread: 49ers 1-2; Patriots 1-1-1.
Series record: 49ers lead 9-5.
Last meeting: 49ers beat Patriots 33-6 in Foxborough, Mass., on Oct. 25, 2020.
Last week: Patriots lost to New York Jets 24-3; 49ers lost 27-24 to the Los Angeles Rams.
Patriots offense: overall (32), rush (8), pass (30), scoring (31).
Patriots defense: overall (19), rush (5), pass (27), scoring (10).
49ers offense: overall (3), rush (10), pass (2), scoring (9).
49ers defense: overall (16), rush (9), pass (20), scoring (21).
Turnover differential: Patriots plus-1; 49ers plus-1.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson was held to 23 yards rushing after having 201 yards rushing the first two weeks. Stevenson's 15 forced missed tackles are the third most in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
WR Jauan Jennings made the most of his increased opportunity last week with Deebo Samuel hurt by catching 11 passes for 175 yards and three TDs, joining Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only Niners players to reach those marks in a game. QB Brock Purdy has a perfect passer rating of 158.3 when targeting Jennings this season.
Patriots DE Keion White vs. 49ers RT Colton McKivitz. White has been one of the most productive edge rushers early this season. He has four sacks and 12 pressures playing both sides of the line early this season. He might line up more this week on New England's left side to avoid All-Pro Trent Williams and take advantage of McKivitz, whose 13 pressures allowed are tied for the most of any tackle this season, according to PFF.
LG Sidy Sow returned to practice for New England after missing the first three games. ... T Vederian Lowe has not played since leaving the Week 2 loss to Seattle in the second half with a knee injury, also returned to practice but coach Jerod Mayo was noncommittal on how much he would be able to do. ... Niners TE George Kittle is expected to return after missing last week's game with a hamstring injury. ... San Francisco lost DT Javon Hargrave to a season-ending triceps injury last week.
The Patriots have won the past two road games in the series, beating the 49ers at Levi's Stadium in 2016 and at Candlestick Park in 2008. ... San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan won his only meeting against New England since taking over in 2017, winning 33-6 on the road in 2020.
The Patriots haven’t thrown an interception in three games yet this season. The NFL record for most consecutive games starting a season without an interception is nine by the 1960 Cleveland Browns. … White’s seven quarterback hits are tied for third in the NFL. … Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson has fumbled in each of the first three games (two of them were recovered by New England). … LS Joe Cardona has had at least one special teams tackle in each of the first three games for New England. His career high for a season is four, in 2017. The NFL record for special teams tackles is 12 by Zak DeOssie of the New York Giants in 2008. … San Francisco has lost back-to-back games for the first time since a three-game skid last October. ... The Niners have made the playoffs just three times in 30 seasons when starting 1-2 or worse and never after a 1-3 start. ... San Francisco ranks last in the NFL with an average of 3.14 yards after catch per reception. The Niners ranked No. 1 every season from 2018-23, averaging 6.57 yards after catch per reception over that span. ... The 49ers are allowing 6.11 yards per play, the fourth-worst mark in franchise history through three games and third worst in the NFL this season. ... Purdy had his 16th game with a passer rating of at least 100 in his first 24 regular-season starts. Patrick Mahomes' 18 games with a rating of at least 100 are the most ever for a player in his first 25 starts. ... RB Jordan Mason's 324 yards rushing are the third most for a 49ers player through three games in franchise history. ... San Francisco LB Fred Warner had his 49th pass defensed last week for the most among linebackers since he entered the league in 2018 and four shy of Patrick Willis' franchise record for linebackers.
San Francisco WR Brandon Aiyuk has had a slow start after not practicing during training camp because of a contract dispute. He has 11 catches for 119 yards and has been held to fewer than 50 yards in three straight games for the first time since 2021. It might be best to wait for Aiyuk to shake off that rust before relying on him.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, left, is brought down by New England Patriots defensive end Keion White, right, in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, right, scores a touchdown past Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens (26) and cornerback Cobie Durant (14) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) carries the ball against the New York Jets during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant celebration in Australia in the aftermath of its worst mass shooting.
South Pacific countries were the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks stuck midnight in Auckland 18 hours before the famous ball drop in New York’s Times Square. The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks.
Australia’s east coast welcomed 2026 two hours after New Zealand. In Sydney, the country's largest city, celebrations were held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.
A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the waterfront to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, a first for the annual event.
An hour before midnight, the massacre victims were commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah were projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd was invited to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.
“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he said.
In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.
The capital, Jakarta, was not ringing in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing subdued celebrations with a program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.
Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties, calling for prayer and reflection. "Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.
Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali were canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring traditional dances.
Hong Kong, too, was ringing in 2026 without the usual spectacle in the sky over iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.
The facades of eight landmarks were turning into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.
Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.
In Japan, crowds were gathering at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital, Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony were being held at the Bosingak Pavilion.
Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital's cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.
Greece and Cyprus were ringing in 2026 by turning down the volume, replacing traditional fireworks with low-noise pyrotechnics, light shows and drone displays in capital cities. Low-noise fireworks avoid the explosive bursts that generate the loud cracks of traditional displays.
Officials in the countries said the change is intended to make celebrations more welcoming for children and pets, particularly animals sensitive to loud noise.
Police in New York City will have additional anti-terrorism measures at the Times Square ball drop, with “mobile screening teams” in search of suspicious activity. It is not in response to a specific threat, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Zohran Mamdani will take office as mayor at the start of 2026. Two swearing-in ceremonies are planned, starting with a private ceremonial event around midnight in an old subway station.
Saaliq reported from New Delhi, India. Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
The police stand guard during the 2026 Taipei New Year's Party celebration in front of the Taipei City Government Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
People gather to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A Buddhist prays in front of lanterns on New Year's Eve at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Swimmers enter the water during the traditional Sylvester swim at lake Moossee in Moosseedorf, Switzerland, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP)
A child poses for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac at a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A person walks by illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora, hosts of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026," in New York at the New Year's Eve Times Square Ball on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
A vendor sells New Year's eve party goods at a market in downtown Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)
A families pose for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac as people visit a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A child poses for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac at a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
