San Francisco 49ers: Not-so-early record prediction and breakdown
The San Francisco 49ers made some significant acquisitions this offseason to help improve the team for the upcoming season. Here is a not-so-early record prediction for the 2019 49ers season.
The NFL Draft has come and gone for the San Francisco 49ers who may have taken the best defensive player — Nick Bosa — with the No. 2 overall pick. They upgraded at wide receiver and running back adding former Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman. Also joining the defense is former Kansas City Chiefs pass rusher Dee Ford who was acquired in an offseason trade.
This 49ers team looks good on paper and with OTA’s kicking off, it’s time we break down and predict what the 49ers record may be.
First things first should be Jimmy’s Garoppolo’s health status.
He has been seen at OTA’s wearing a leg brace after he tore his ACL last season. Simply put though fans want to know, can he get through an entire practice while remaining healthy? Can he do certain drills? How is he moving? This is a quarterback-driven league and there is no player more imperative to the 49ers success than the man they call “Jimmy G.”
He will most likely be eased back slowly, but with such little time as a starter, Garoppolo needs all the reps he can get. Especially with new receivers such as Deebo Samuel and the aforementioned Coleman.
This is an important year for the coaching staff — primarily head coach Kyle Shanahan — and general manager John Lynch. They have to get this team going here in the third year of each of their tenures.
We can refer to last season as a mulligan due to the incredible amount of injuries this team suffered. The hype is real with this team and many experts around the league believe that this team is the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.
But the biggest question remains, can they stay healthy? Can they get out of their own way?
Here’s how I think the 49ers 2019 season will unfold:
Schedule Prediction:
Week 1: San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers — LOSS (49ers 17, Buccaneers 21)
Let’s face it — even though the team is improved, they just haven’t been good on the east coast the last few seasons. They have lost eight straight road games and 12 straight east coast games. If you remember one year ago they were blown out by Tampa Bay 27-9. Tampa Bay, with their hopefully improved coaching staff featuring Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles, gets it done at home.
Week 2: San Francisco 49ers @ Cincinnati Bengals — WIN (49ers 24, Bengals 0)
The east coast losing streak stops quickly as the 49ers blow out a rebuilding Bengals team with a new head coach who might be in over his head.
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Week 3: San Francisco 49ers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers — LOSS (49ers 10, Steelers 23)
The 49ers home opener in Santa Clara gets rocking and they pick off Ben Roethlisberger at least once. But when they can’t score the ball, Big Ben comes back with a vengeance tossing touchdowns to JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner. Roethlisberger shows why he is still a Hall of Fame quarterback against a weak 49ers secondary.
Week 4: Bye Week
Week 5: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cleveland Browns — LOSS (49ers 10, Browns 17)
Bright lights bring out the stars and this Monday night game will have a lot of them. Sadly most of them play for the road team. Cornerback Richard Sherman can only cover one but even he can’t stop a rejuvenated Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. Although the 49ers defense gives Baker Mayfield fits, Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon stifle Garoppolo.
Week 6: San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams — LOSS (49ers 3, Rams 21)
It’s no question that the Los Angeles Rams aren’t as good as they were a year ago, but it’s not as if the 49ers are good enough to take one from them in the hostile territory. Aaron Donald has his way and the Rams offense gets in a groove early.
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Week 7: San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Redskins — WIN (49ers 17, Redskins 13)
Desperate for a win, the 49ers travel east clinging for some type of optimism. They sneak out a tough, gritty win as Nick Bosa sacks his former college teammate Dwayne Haskins three times and Garoppolo hooks up with Deebo Samuel for the game-winning drive.
Week 8: San Francisco 49ers vs. Carolina Panthers — WIN (49ers 30, Panthers 21)
Coming off a big road victory, Kyle Shanahan and company get some momentum going. Garoppolo finds his groove and the defense is beginning to look how many thought it would.
Week 9: San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals — WIN (49ers 24, Cardinals 13)
The 49ers have lost eight straight to the Cardinals, but with a rookie QB in Kyler Murray under center, an up-and-coming front seven goes in on the rookie. Garoppolo keeps rolling throwing for three touchdowns.
Week 10: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks — WIN (49ers 6, Seattle 3)
In one of the ugliest games of the year for both these teams, someone has to win and crazier things have happened before in divisional games. The 49ers kicker crushes Seattle in a hard-fought, offensively-challenged home victory.
Week 11: San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals — WIN (49ers 24, Cardinals 21)
For the second straight week, the 49ers pull off a last-second field goal to win a game. Kyler Murray shows improvement as he goes toe to toe with Garoppolo and the red hot offense of the 49ers. Arizona’s defense lets them down late and they fall short again against their division foes.
Week 12: San Francisco 49ers vs. Green Bay Packers — LOSS (49ers 17, Packers 31)
Aaron Rodgers comes back to the Bay Area in his quest to get back to the Super Bowl. He takes out a stubborn 49ers team who had been playing great ball as of late. Rodgers throws three touchdowns and the Packers defense has its way with Garoppolo.
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Week 13: San Francisco 49ers @ Baltimore Ravens — LOSS (49ers 13, Ravens 19)
The Ravens have one of the toughest and best defenses in the league. Garoppolo struggles on the road and fails to get anything going against this defense.
Week 14: San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints — LOSS (49ers 23, Saints 35)
Nick Bosa gets a sack on Drew Brees, but the future Hall of Famer shows why the Saints are the best team in the NFC as the 49ers lose their third straight.
Week 15: San Francisco 49ers vs. Atlanta Falcons — WIN (49ers 31, Falcons 24)
Atlanta has its key guys in Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Devonta Freeman. But that’s pretty much it. The 49ers grab a big win late in the season to snap their losing streak.
Week 16: San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams — LOSS (49ers 17, Rams 21)
The Rams turn the ball over three times keeping the 49ers in it late into the game. But an Aaron Donald sack in the red zone kills any 49ers upset opportunity as the NFC West champions prevail.
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Week 17: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks — LOSS (49ers 24, Seahawks 31)
Russell Wilson and company play a much better game this time against their divisional rival. But so do the 49ers as this game ends up as an offensive shootout. The ‘Hawks and the 12th man hold it down, however.
The 49ers finish with an improved record at 7-9 — the best record of the Lynch/Shanahan era. AT least that’s a step in the right direction.