Though he made some bad decisions, most notably on his red zone interception returned for a touchdown by Bobby Wagner, in Seattle, it was another quietly impressive day as he threw for over 400 yards.

In a hostile environment, though one somewhat muted by the one-sided nature of the game, Mullens did an impressive job of maintaining his composure and moving the ball on the Seahawks defense. If not for a poor effort from the Niners defense and some mishaps on special teams, he may have kept the scoreline much closer. That same composure and an ability to get the ball out quickly will be needed as he goes against Miller, Chubb and a Denver defense that has resisted its reputation as one of the league’s best this season.

Asked about a potential training camp competition between Mullens and Beathard, head coach Kyle Shanahan recently spoke of his belief that Beathard and Mullens are dead even.

However, an evaluation of their performances this year suggests otherwise. Mullens has outplayed Beathard and, in going through his reads and getting the ball out quickly and decisively, has excelled in areas where the 2017 third-round pick struggles. Another strong display against a defense of the Broncos caliber that lifts the Niners out of their slump could help give him a clear edge going into the offseason.