LET'S TALK FOOTBALL - San Francisco 49ers

The 2024 season for the San Francisco 49ers felt like a carbon copy of 2020. Coming off a devastating loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the 49ers were expected to make another deep postseason run, but it was derailed with a 6-11 record thanks to a combination of injuries and emotional exhaustion. Knowing that the franchise was tens of millions of dollars over the cap, general manager John Lynch knew that he had to retool this roster, which meant letting go of a bunch of key pieces. Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward, Javon Hargrave, Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, and even Jordan Mason are just some examples. But also like 2020, the 49ers are hoping to show the world that last year was just a fluke, and that they are ready to get back on the map sooner than later.

After the NFL Draft, the 49ers took care of their number one priority: signing Brock Purdy to a contract extension. The team knew that they dragged out a few offseason holdouts longer than expected, so getting this deal done was a huge win for all parties involved. If he can play a full seventeen games, then this offense can still be an efficient unit with Kyle Shanahan calling the plays. But for them to return to their dynamic form, they need Christian McCaffrey fully healthy. When he plays, he is one of the top three running backs in football, but only suited up four times last year. He is not getting any younger and players at his position do not have a sustainable playing window, so his impact will mean everything to this team. He is also a critical factor to their passing attack because not only is he an outstanding checkdown option, but his presence can open up the field for the other receivers on their roster. Even without Deebo Samuel, this is still a solid group that Purdy has to work with this year. Ricky Pearsall will step into a larger role as the number one option, Brandon Aiyuk is trying to work his way back from a torn ACL, and Demarcus Robinson has always been a reliable weapon for any quarterback. Just ask Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford. But there is one receiver on that squad that nobody talks about enough, which is Jauan Jennings. He broke out last season with 975 yards and six touchdowns, so if Aiyuk is still not 100%, there is another guy ready to step up in a big way. Jennings is a player that every offense would love to have because not only does he have incredible pass-catching and route-running skills, he is a vital piece in their run blocking. One more sigh of relief that I have to bring up is that the 49ers did not lose George Kittle as they were able to sign him to a deserving contract extension, so his energy and incessant love of the game is not going away any time soon. If the running game returns to its good form and the passing game rediscovers its energy, then the offensive line will follow suit as well.

The 49ers defense has undergone a lot of coordinator changes in the last few seasons, but Robert Saleh is back in the Bay Area. This means that not only is this defense going to improve, but his energy and charisma will be back, which is what makes him a lovable coach. The team used their first round pick to select edge rusher Mykel Williams out of Georgia, somebody that can complement their centerpiece Nick Bosa. No more Leonard Floyd or Javon Hargrave, but Bryce Huff is a player that tremendously fits in Saleh’s scheme and there are a couple of other younger pieces that are ready to take on bigger roles. In the second level, they still have their All-Pro weapon Fred Warner with the green dot on his helmet, but it will be interesting to see who will fill Dre Greenlaw’s shoes this upcoming season. Yet the weakest link, in my opinion, is their secondary. I know that they re-signed Deommodore Lenoir and that they have a rising stud in safety Malik Mustapha, but there are a lot of younger players that will have to take their games to the next level. Hopefully Saleh can find a way to maximize this group’s potential, or else the 49ers are going to be a one-dimensional football team.

I have confidence that the 49ers can make it back to the playoffs and perhaps take back the NFC West throne. Obviously, health is the biggest factor, but what I want to see is them win a championship. They have had so much talent over the years and made tremendous runs, only for those seasons to end in heartbreak. We have seen them get to the conference championship and make it to two Super Bowls. Nobody wants to see the same script time and time again, so the only way I can label this a successful season is if they lift the Lombardi Trophy.

WEEK 1 @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The Seahawks might not be the toughest division rival that the 49ers have to face this year, but it is one that they know that can be scrappy and opportunistic. Even though Geno Smith is no longer on the squad, they do have a former 49ers backup that took off last season, both literally and figuratively. Many are hoping that 2024 for Sam Darnold was not just a “one year wonder” and that he does not revert back to his Jets form. Myself included. When I look at the supporting cast around him, it is not as great as it was when he was with the Vikings, but it is still manageable. The Seahawks have an underrated running back tandem of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, two guys that can punish defenders with physicality and acceleration on yards after contact. No more Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a number one option and he will have a promising right-hand man in Cooper Kupp. Hopefully, the former Super Bowl MVP can stay healthy because he has proven he can still play. You just need him on the field. Seattle also has an emerging tight end in AJ Barner, and there are a couple of depth guys in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Bobo that are hoping to have some role in this offense. However, the state of the offensive line always worries me, from the days of Russell Wilson. One red flag about Darnold’s play is that he tends to hold onto the ball too long, and you cannot have that in Seattle, because he is not going to have a clean pocket most days. They might have drafted Grey Zabel in the first round, but if Charles Cross is the only good lineman they have again, then this team is going to be extremely disappointing to watch.

The main strength of the Seattle Seahawks last year was their defense, despite the fact they missed the playoffs with a ten-win season. They have an incredible amount of playmakers on all three levels and Mike MacDonald did a great job of making sure that this unit cleaned up any issues that they might have had in the past. Leonard Williams is still an absolute beast of a pass rusher and there were plenty more guys that stepped up as well. Boye Mafe and Derick Hall had breakout seasons last year, and now that Demarcus Lawrence is coming on board, this is a defensive line that will have depth. In the linebacking corps, Ernest Jones will hopefully have a full season under his belt with the team, because he is an incredibly versatile player that any team would love to have. The safety has a plethora of name talent like Riq Woolen, Julian Love, Devon Witherspoon, and Coby Bryant. The hope is that if the offense finds some consistency, the defense will not suffer any setbacks. MacDonald is a hell of a coach, so I am truly hoping for the best.

Brock Purdy has yet to lose a game in Seattle, and I think that because this is the first game of the season, the 49ers should be able to remind the Seahawks that they are not a team to easily beat at full strength. To me, I think this will be a tightly contested game, but I just have more confidence in Purdy to have a cleaner performance.

WEEK 2 @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

This is one game that the 49ers should win handedly because the Saints are not in the best state as an organization right now. I feel bad that this is the first head coaching job for Kellen Moore because on a team with no cap flexibility, an aging roster, and no plan at quarterback, this is the worst situation he could have asked for. Everything was put on halt when Derek Carr retired, so now there are three guys competing for the starting job: Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and rookie Tyler Shough. I wish I could say that at least there are the Pelicans, but that team is on the verge of blowing it up. The only silver lining I have is that at least the Saints offense will be healthy. Alvin Kamara had a bounce back season with close to 1500 total yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed will more than likely be the two biggest targets for whichever quarterback throws them the ball, along with tight ends Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill. Brandin Cooks is even coming back, so there is some nostalgia there. The offensive line is not completely horrible either and it got better with Kelvin Banks Jr. replacing Ryan Ramczyck at right tackle. The only issue is that once everybody got hurt, the entire offense plummeted, and it is one of the biggest reasons why the Saints had a dismal five win season.

As for the defense, how do I put this? They have zero depth and they are incredibly old. When you do look at the younger guys in this group, they are either inconsistent or inexperienced. They already lost their top two corners in Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo, their only two good pass rushers are Bryan Bresee and Carl Granderson, we don’t know what to expect from Chase Young, and Demario Davis can only do so much at thirty-six years old. At least they signed Justin Reid to reunite with his former Texans teammate Tyrann Mathieu, but with Brandon Staley as the defensive coordinator, my hopes are not that high for this group.

I personally hope that the Saints have a decent season, but with the lack of certainty at quarterback, I feel that this is a game that the 49ers should win by double digits. Otherwise, then we are going to need to see a lot more proof for us to believe that they can finally turn things around.

WEEK 3 vs. ARIZONA CARDINALS

One of the many lowlights of the 2024 season for the 49ers was that they lost to the Cardinals not once, but twice. The first of these defeats was at home and one big reason why was because San Francisco did not have a kicker. From that standpoint, you would think the 49ers should get some revenge, but Arizona is hoping to turn things around on their end as well. Murray did not have a hard time bouncing back from his torn ACL and showed that this is still his team for the foreseeable future, James Conner is still a workhorse at running back, and Marvin Harrison Jr. established himself as the focal point of the passing game. Trey McBride rightfully earned a contract extension to make him the highest paid tight end in the NFL, but I am curious to see how Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch are going to perform in what should be make-or-break seasons for both receivers in the league. The fact that Arizona has one of the best offensive lines in football after being such a garbage heap a few seasons ago should indicate that this unit will be very efficient. The question is can they be consistent, because that has been the biggest con of Kyler Murray’s tenure in the NFL.

What I was really more impressed with was their defense with Jonathan Gannon leading the charge. I still feel their pass rush can get a lot better, but totaling forty-one sacks last year showed promising signs of improvement. It is why they drafted Walter Nolen with their first round pick and signed Josh Sweat to a long-term deal, giving players like Darius Robinson and Baron Browning chances to have improved in the 2025 campaigns. I am also expecting the run defense to get better because even though they have Zaven Collins, there is a reason why Arizona signed a proven veteran in Dalvin Tomlinson. The secondary is also an above average unit that at least made the effort of adding a potential number one corner by drafting Will Johnson in the second round, so that should take a lot of pressure off of Budda Baker’s shoulders. It is still a very young group, so I am anxious to see which guys are going to step up, especially as we approach the second half of the season.

Last year, the Cardinals proved that they had what it took to outlast this football team, so they are going to have plenty of momentum entering this matchup. I do not see this as a sweep one way or the other, so if Arizona does get the first game, then I think we are in for one heck of a rematch in Glendale.

WEEK 4 vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Whether or not the 49ers beat the Cardinals or not, this upcoming game against the Jaguars should be a more decisive victory. It will be interesting to see how the Jaguars look with Liam Coen as the new head coach, because if Trevor Lawrence continues to look mediocre at best and pathetic at worst, then that contract extension is only going to appear worse as the days roll by. Coen has a lot of work to do with not just getting Lawrence back on track, but with the rest of the offense as well. They have two capable starting running backs in Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, while Brian Thomas Jr. has emerged as the focal point of the passing game, but the offense suffered a lot of turnover at the same time. Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, and Evan Engram were all released. Jacksonville replaced them by promoting Brenton Strange as the starting tight end, signing Dyami Brown in free agency, and then trading up with the Browns to draft Travis Hunter with the second overall pick! Not only is Hunter supposed to help out a ton in the passing game, but that secondary has desperately needed a standout cornerback for years, and the Jaguars got a guy that can do both! One of the biggest surprises of 2024 was that their offensive line actually did pretty well, despite only winning four games. It only let up thirty-two sacks, the ninth fewest in the league, and I think it got stronger with the signing of Patrick Mekari in free agency. Anton Harrison showed improvement, Ezra Cleveland thrived at left guard, and the unit did pretty well for itself without Cam Robinson at left tackle. Lawrence is going to be the biggest X factor for this team’s success, or else Jacksonville’s new regime will not be afraid of moving on from him in the upcoming offseason.

As for the Jaguars defense, I have been consistent in saying that it has been the team’s Achilles heel for the last five years. The only two guys that kept it somewhat afloat were Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, so even with the addition of Travis Hunter, this group has a lot of making up to do this year. Arik Armstead has been a disappointment, Devin Lloyd showed a lot of consistency issues, and I did not like that Jourdan Lewis was the only addition they made to the secondary in free agency. Maybe Hunter and Tyson Campbell can form into a solid duo, but for this team to truly turn things around, everything has to be absolutely perfect in all aspects of play.

The only way I can see the Jaguars pulling off this upset is if every single thing goes right for them. When the 49ers are good, they take advantage of the mistakes their opponents make, so I think that this can be a resounding victory for them if they force one momentum-swinging play.

WEEK 5 @ LOS ANGELES RAMS

It will not be an easy turnaround, having to head out to Los Angeles to play the Rams on Thursday Night Football, four days after what should be a relatively relaxing game against the Jaguars. Just like San Francisco, the Rams have always been a consistent playoff contender under Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford. Their offense has always been their bread and butter, regardless of the different pieces they had over the years. Kyren Williams is a touchdown machine just like a certain man named Todd Gurley. The Rams have one of the best young receivers in the league in Puka Nacua, and while the Cooper Kupp era unfortunately had to come to an end, it is not terrible getting Davante Adams as a consolation prize. I personally thought it was a bummer that Demarcus Robinson departed in free agency, but knowing Sean McVay, there are going to be at least a couple guys that will carve out bigger roles. My guesses are Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell. Unfortunately, Tyler Higbee is not the same tight end that he once was, but I think both Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen have a strong chance of stealing the starting spot at some point in the season. Their offensive line gave up the sixth fewest sacks in the league, so if you are a team that does not have a scary pass rush, then it might take a while before you actually get to the quarterback.

Their defense has a boatload of playmakers, but I still feel like there is a lot of room for improvement. Braden Fiske and Jared Verse made instant impacts in their rookie seasons, while Kobie Turner and Byron Young showed the young guys how it was done. Their biggest loss was letting Christian Rozeboom walk away in free agency because they do not really have anybody else that could replace him. Hopefully, the secondary could ease things for the time being. Derion Kendrick is coming back from injury and Darious Williams is back, but this group proved that there were plenty of guys that successfully adopted the “next man up” mentality. Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough thrived in the safety positions, while Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant might have found a new home. It is not the most explosive defense, but they are hungry for blood, a group that is not afraid to get nasty when things get difficult.

The Rams are another team that beat the 49ers twice last year and have proved that they are not scared or intimidated of the challenge. I think that this series is going to end in a split and that LA takes the first one at SoFi Stadium, but I will be excited for when they go head to head again in Santa Clara.

WEEK 6 @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

One unheralded rivalry that I always look back on is the one between Baker Mayfield and Nick Bosa. I remember when the former Heisman quarterback beat Ohio State in 2017 and planted the Oklahoma flag on the midfield logo. Since then, Bosa has had the upper hand in every single NFL matchup. Last year, the 49ers held on to beat the Bucs 20-17, despite Jake Moody missing three field goals. Now both teams will meet each other one year later in the same stadium and Tampa is still a formidable playoff contender. It began with Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield has done more than his job to make them a respected foe. He might have his third different offensive coordinator in his three years with the team, but I think that as long as the pieces are still there and the system does not change, then it should not be too big of an issue. Bucky Irving emerged as one of the more promising rookie running backs in the league, so any time the passing game does get held in check, then he and Rachaad White can pick up the slack. Say it is the other way around, then you have Mike Evans to worry about, somebody that is essentially guaranteed to total a thousand yards in a season. Chris Godwin is coming back, Jalen McMillan showed tremendous promise as a rookie, and Tampa drafted Emeka Egbuka to round out the receiving room. Their offensive line is also a well-rounded unit that showed improvement towards the second half of the season, but based on Mayfield’s style of play, it is a unit that might give up more sacks than you would like.

My only real concern with the Buccaneers is their defense, which should not be the case with Todd Bowles as the head coach. If you ask me, it is an average unit with a few key stars, but not much else. They have a beast in Vita Vea anchoring the pass rush, Lavonte David still playing at a high level at middle linebacker, and one of the best safeties in the league in Antoine Winfield Jr. However, they allowed the fourth most passing yards out of any other team and their secondary only totaled seven interceptions. I understand that Tampa drafted two corners with their mid-round picks and signed Haason Reddick in free agency, but I don’t believe that those additions moved the needle with this group. Although they have guys they can show up in spurts, Tampa does not have a lot of players that are difference makers, and that is critical if they want to make a deep playoff run.

This matchup can really go either way given the history between Mayfield and Bosa, but I think this is the year that the quarterback gets the upper lick. Although Bosa has achieved more individual success in the past four seasons, I think that Tampa is another team that has proven to keep it toe-to-toe with San Francisco last year, and that they can get the edge with both teams now at full strength.

WEEK 7 vs. ATLANTA FALCONS

If the 49ers truly start off the first six weeks 3-3, then I think that this will be the week that they are able to bounce back: a home Sunday night game against an unproven Falcons team. Now that Michael Penix has the full keys to the Atlanta offense, one of two things is going to happen. Either he surges like Lamar Jackson did in his sophomore year and carries the team to relevance, or the flaws keep rearing their ugly heads as they walk into another mediocre season. As I said, this is a team that has plenty of talent to get over the hump. Bijan Robinson is easily one of the top five running backs in all of football and Drake London broke through in his third year with over 1200 receiving yards. However, for this offense to truly rise up the charts, they need Kyle Pitts to get back on the map. After his rookie season, he was expected to be a huge focal point of the offense. Then all of a sudden, his play diminished and he has been in a lot of trade rumors. At some point in time, the quarterback cannot be the scapegoat for this anymore, so it will be really interesting to see how Pitts performs in 2025. Let’s not forget that Darnell Mooney fell eight yards short of a thousand last season and Ray-Ray McCloud set career highs in targets, catches, and yards! I don’t have a lot of concerns for the offensive line, even with the loss of Chris Dalman, because it is a group with proven starters. The Falcons only gave up thirty-two sacks the year before and was considered one of the best run blocking lines in football, so it really comes down to the receivers getting open and Penix being smart with his decision making.

As for the defense, it was really the most disappointing in the league. There is a reason why they did not decide to bring Matthew Judon or Justin Simmons back after signing them to prove-it deals for one year. They also knew that they could not keep Grady Jarrett around much longer because after the extension he received in 2019, he never totaled more than six sacks in a season. The good news was that Atlanta had two first round picks and decided to boost the edge with those selections. They finally made a smart decision and took Jalon Walker with their first pick, but then stunned all of us by trading a future first for James Pearce Jr. That means that head coach Raheem Morris sees them as immediate impactful players to complement Arnold Ebiketie. The rest of their defensive line has proven veterans like Leonard Floyd and David Onyemata, but they are also not getting any younger, so a lot more weight is going to be given to the young guys. They finished with the second fewest sacks in the NFL, so even though that number will get higher this season, I do not see a drastic improvement. I never had an issue with the linebacking room. Kaden Elliss is an extremely versatile linebacker and I have hopes for JD Bertrand, so I think the signing of Divine Deablo can help this group instead of hurt them. But the one position group that I have never been fond of is the secondary. AJ Terrell and Jessie Bates might be All-Pro caliber players, but who do they have to help out? I like Dee Alford, but he had an up-and-down season as he struggled with coverage. Jordan Fuller is a guy that I liked when he was on the Rams, but he tailed off in Carolina and got cut after one year for a reason. Mike Hughes did not do too bad and Atlanta brought him back on a new contract, yet I am worried that last year might have been a blimp in the radar.

There are a couple reasons why I have the 49ers winning. They have the more proven quarterback and they have the home-field advantage under the bright lights. I can see this being a closer matchup than people expect, but I have more faith that Brock Purdy can show up in the clutch than Michael Penix at this moment.

WEEK 8 @ HOUSTON TEXANS

I do not know if I would necessarily call this a trap game because the Texans are expected to win their division, but this is one where I can see the 49ers experience a couple headaches. When you are going up against one of your former defensive coordinators in DeMeco Ryans in his house, and San Francisco is coming off a subpar season, then these matchups normally tend to lean towards the former. Last season was rough for a Texans franchise that was finally starting to get things back on track. Despite winning the AFC South and making it back to the playoffs, it felt like they were worse than last year, and now it is time for everybody to prove that it was just a fluke. That means CJ Stroud is going to have to break through that rough sophomore wall and return to the promising stud he was in his rookie season. This season will be a bigger challenge because not only is Stefon Diggs gone, but Tank Dell is expected to miss all of 2025 with that gruesome knee injury he suffered in December. However, I think both Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are going to surprise a lot of people in their rookie seasons, which will take a lot of pressure off of Nico Collins and even newly signed Christian Kirk. Along with Joe Mixon and Dalton Schultz, it is still a talented offense that just let go of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, so it is time for Nick Caley to right the ship. Yet, their offensive line still gives me pause for concern. They traded away Laremy Tunsil, released Shaq Mason, and traded away Kenyon Green. The new guys that the Texans signed include Cam Robinson, Trent Brown, and Ed Ingram. The only returning pieces are Juice Scruggs and Tytus Howard. I don’t know how, but it felt like their offensive line got worse. That says a lot, considering that CJ Stroud was the second most sacked quarterback in the league!

As for the Texans defense, the one thing that held them back from their potential was the lack of discipline. That falls on DeMeco Ryans because this was supposed to be the unit for him to turn around. They have the talent, but they need the chemistry and mental toughness to really go far in the playoffs. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter did a tremendous job on the front four, they have a legitimate linebacker duo of Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, but it is their secondary that I think makes this group even more dangerous. They have a transcendent number one corner in Derek Stingley Jr., a couple of rising studs in Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter, and Jalen Pitre is one of the more underrated safeties in all of football. They also just acquired CJ Gardner Johnson in a trade with Philadelphia, which means Jimmie Ward will not have to take a huge load of the work as one of the only veterans on the team.

I can personally see this matchup go either way because both teams have a lot to prove. However, I believe that the Texans defense matches up well against this 49ers offense, which will allow CJ Stroud to wear the opposing defense down and pull away in the fourth quarter.

WEEK 9 @ NEW YORK GIANTS

If the 49ers do not find a way to win this game, then I do not know how they will be able to win the division. When I look at the New York Giants, I do not understand what their plan is this season. They signed Russell Wilson, then traded up for Jaxson Dart in the first round. They have a promising running back in Tyrone Tracy, but drafted Cam Skattebo. Malik Nabers is a stud at wide receiver, but the next best options are Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, both inconsistent in their respective positions. At least Andrew Thomas is coming back to stabilize the offensive line, but with the uncertainty at the quarterback position, who knows how many times that group will be set up to fail? One more horrid start and John Mara is cleaning house.

Hopefully, the defense emerges out of the shadows and gives us promising flashes throughout the season. Their pass rush is stacked with the likes of Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence. They added Chauncey Golston and Roy Robertson-Harris to solidify that front, but the run defense has been underwhelming with Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden leading the way. What I am really going to pay attention to is their secondary because the Giants made sure to overhaul it in the offseason. They brought in Paulson Adebo to be their number one corner, signed the best safety in free agency in Jevon Holland to man the deep end, and are hoping for breakout seasons from Andru Phillips and Tyler Nubin. Yet, the biggest disappointment in that group has been Deonte Banks, who has not lived up to the first round pedigree he had as he allowed six touchdowns just last season.

The 49ers might be on the road for this game but there is no excuse why they should not win. They are back at full strength, they have a better offense, and their defense does not have too many weaknesses. They will not deserve to make the playoffs again if they somehow find a way to lose.

WEEK 10 vs. LOS ANGELES RAMS

I do not see the 49ers losing to the Rams twice the way they did last year, unless they hit the injury bug once again. I think that whoever wins this matchup is going to pull away with the division, so this is going to be a huge day for both sides.

WEEK 11 @ ARIZONA CARDINALS

The same goes for this road game against the Cardinals because if the 49ers find themselves swept by at least one division rival this year, then they can look forward to being a road team on the Wild Card.

WEEK 12 vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS

This is going to be the first game that Christian McCaffrey will play against the team that drafted him since getting traded in 2022, so on a Monday night stage at Santa Clara, this should look like a favorable matchup for the 49ers. However, if the Panthers pick up where they left off last year, then we are in for one heck of a showdown. After seeing his career nearly get destroyed to begin the 2024 season, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completely rebounded down the stretch and is now a sign of optimism rather than the biggest liability. Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are hoping that he and the rest of this offense can pick up where they left off, because they showed more positive flashes than they did in the last five years. Chuba Hubbard emerged as one of the best running backs in the league and he will have a nice right hand man in Rico Dowdle to step in when needed. Adam Thielen is not getting any younger, but that is a reason why Carolina used their first round pick to draft Tet McMillian, who will join a receiving corps featuring Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. They also have a rising tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders that will be seeking more opportunities, along with an offensive line that only let up thirty-six sacks. I do not think they will be a top ten unit right away, but if Carolina continues to head into the right direction, then they can absolutely be one of the more efficient offenses in the league.

However, I think the true X factor of this team is their defense, which was a disaster last year. It ranked dead last in total yards, passing, and points. They had the fourth fewest sacks and totaled nine interceptions, with a lot of it attributed to guys like Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson missing the entire season. Brown will be returning, along with highly touted cornerback Jaycee Horn, but I do not think that this unit got drastically better. I like Tershawn Wharton, Christian Rozeboom, Tre’von Moehrig, and Pat Jones II. I think those are highly respected players that will be beneficial to this group. Yet, are those three really going to move the needle? Their leading tackle Xavier Woods is gone, Josey Jewell was okay, and neither Jadeveon Clowney nor DJ Wonnum made a difference on the defensive line. We knew that defensive coordinator Ejero Evero was going to have his hands full, but I seriously cannot tell if this group will overachieve or not. As much as I want them to, this team does not have the right personnel to do that at the moment, unless their offense turns back the clock a decade and starts ripping everyone’s hearts out.

As much as I would like to see the Panthers try to pull off the upset, I just do not see the 49ers losing this game on a primetime stage. Not only do they have just as capable of an exciting offense, but I have more faith in their defense to pull out a few stops and survive.

WEEK 13 @ CLEVELAND BROWNS

Now THIS is what I call a trap game! Before the bye week, the 49ers will head on the road for what should be an easy win against the Cleveland Browns and for good reason: they do not have a quarterback. They might have drafted Dillon Gabriel AND Shadeur Sanders, but if the only veteran backups are Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, then that is not the best considering that Deshaun Watson suffered two torn Achilles injuries. It doesn’t help that Nick Chubb is no longer on the roster, despite the fact that he was a shell of himself trying to come back from that knee injury, and then later suffered a broken foot late in the 2024 season. The good news is that Cleveland made sure to draft not one but TWO future running backs to their core! I’m curious to see which one will be the lead between Qunshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, because if I’m being quite honest, I don’t know what role Jerome Ford is going to carve out in this offense. In the passing game, the two main focal points will most likely be Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku, but there need to be more than a few guys that will have to step up. Cedric Tillman, David Bell, and Diontae Johnson are the more notable examples. However, that offensive line really took a huge slide as it allowed the second most sacks in the league. Even with the addition of Teven Jenkins, I do not know if we are going to see any improvement, unless one of these four quarterbacks completely stun us and somehow lift this team to the playoffs.

Their defense is not void of blame because after a dominant 2023 season, they saw signs of regression as well. A lot of it happened to do with the setbacks of the offense, but Myles Garrett was quite possibly the only player showing any form of consistency. One of the boldest moves they made in regards to that defense was to trade down three spots from the second overall pick and select Mason Graham out of Michigan, while receiving a significant package that includes a future first. Jacksonville might have been the lucky ones to select Travis Hunter, but if Graham turns into a successful player, then Cleveland will have little regrets. The rest of their defensive line has a bunch of rotational pieces that can make solid contributions, but the linebacking corps took a hit with Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah ruled out for the season due to a neck injury. Even though they signed Jerome Baker and kept guys like Devin Bush and Jordan Hicks around, the Browns are going to have an average run defense at best. I cannot say anything different for the secondary, because although Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit are absolute studs, the rest of the group could not follow the way. Martin Emerson and Greg Newsome have been massive disappointments, Rayshawn Jenkins is just an okay safety, and it didn’t help that Juan Thornhill left in free agency. Jim Schwartz is one of the smartest defensive minds in the game, but after that dip of a performance last year, who knows which direction they will take this season?

Well for this particular matchup, I say that they will go up. Schwartz is currently 9-1 against Kyle Shanahan, in which the latter’s offenses has only scored more than twenty points once. That one win was in 2008, just so you know. Another big reason why I have the Browns pulling off the upset is because they have not lost at home to the 49ers since 1984, when Joe Montana and Jerry Rice were the centerpieces of an offense coached by Bill Walsh. I know that some streaks have to end at some point, but this is one that I think can create a lot of drama towards the final weeks of the season.

WEEK 14: BYE WEEK

WEEK 15 vs. TENNESSEE TITANS

The 49ers desperately needed this bye week because they know that once they get re-energized and refocused, then it is all business from there. It starts with a home game against the Titans, which they should win easily. They had the worst record in the league last season and clinched the first overall pick, which they used to select quarterback Cam Ward. I loved watching him when he was at Miami, but head coach Brian Callahan is going to throw this kid into the fire early, and I honestly cannot determine how he will perform. The pieces around him are not terrible, but then again, they only won three games with essentially the same supporting cast around him. You have Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears manning the backfield, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett as your expected top receiving targets, and an offensive line that honestly did not improve over the offseason. I have hopes for rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Deke, but I still cannot understand why new general manager Mike Borgonzi gave Dan Moore Jr. $50 million guaranteed to be their starting left tackle.

As for the defense, it really gave us a bunch of mixed signs every week. They were the second best group in yards allowed, yet were the third worst in points surrendered. All of the veterans that they acquired that offseason were let go before the 2024 season could even conclude, and a couple more might join them if they implode once again. Harold Landry was released, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs were cut in the middle of the year, and Ernest Jones was traded. Hopefully, things do not head in the opposite direction once again because they have solid guys in their group. Jeffery Simmons, Arden Key, and T’Vondre Sweat held their own on the front four. Cody Barton and Dre’Mont Jones were brought in from Denver to help pick up the slack. L’Jarius Sneed is trying to return to form and will have guys like Amani Hooker and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. to step up on their end.

The 49ers cannot afford to lose another game if they want to make it back to the playoffs, let alone the division, so handling business at home should be a good start for them to run the table.

WEEK 16 @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

I personally do not know why this was scheduled to be a Monday night matchup, but I had a hard time picking the winner of this game. On the surface, you would think that is ludicrous because the Colts don’t have a starting quarterback. We thought it could be Anthony Richardson, but his inaccuracy issues completely plagued this team, and it did not help that he was in and out of the lineup throughout the season. I seriously doubt Daniel Jones is going to get this team over the hump, so what I see is an average offense led by two subpar quarterbacks. I feel bad for Jonathan Taylor because his prime is just being wasted. The same goes with Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, because while Joe Flacco was not exactly the transcendent backup that he was in Cleveland, he at least proved that all those two needed was a better player throwing them the ball to help the two of them grow. However, one player that I think a lot of teams will have a hard time planning against will be rookie Tyler Warren. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for Indianapolis, he is going to be the ultimate security blanket because there are so many things he could do with the football. The offensive line was not so bad last season, but the departures of both Ryan Kelly and Will Fries are going to hurt them in 2025. Outside of Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith, I don’t really know which players on that front are going to excel at the highest level, meaning that Indianapolis is more than likely bound for another mediocre season.

Newly hired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is hoping to get his career back on track in a new change of place and prove that Gus Bradley was truly not the right man for the job. When I look at the Colts defense, I see a lot of names, but I know that the production was not there the year before. Their front four was supposed to be led by DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Laitu Latu. Yet, they totaled the seventh fewest sacks with thirty-six. Zaire Franklin is one of the consistent leading tacklers in the NFL, but their run defense allowed close to 132 yards per game. However, I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that their secondary was still a travesty. This offseason, Chris Ballard did his job to make sure that it would not be an issue again. They brought in Charvarius Ward to be their new number one corner and signed safety Camryn Bynum to elevate it even higher. These were the two latest additions to a secondary that already had starpower in Nick Cross, Kenny Moore, and Jaylon Jones. Now it is up to Anarumo to see if he can finally turn this group around for the first time in close to five years.

On one hand, the 49ers have not beaten the Colts since 2001. On the other hand, Indianapolis’ quarterback struggles are really holding this team back. Daniel Jones is 0-2 against this team and has been awful both times, while Anthony Richardson has not played well enough to prove that he can pull off the upset. I will pick San Francisco just because they are supposed to be the stronger team, but I really hope that this does not turn into another trap game, or else the Rams are going to jump back in front as soon as the clock hits zero.

WEEK 17 vs. CHICAGO BEARS

We are right back at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday Night Football once again, but this should be a heavyweight fight now that Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the Bears. It sounds redundant since we have been saying that about the Bears for a few years, but this time must be different. Caleb Williams is hoping to take a huge leap into his sophomore season, perhaps proving that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron really was a hack and should not have been the guy to guide him in his rookie year. Entering 2025, the pieces are more and less the same, but they are hoping to improve as well. D’Andre Swift is still a capable running back, DJ Moore is a number one option for any quarterback in the NFL, Cole Kmet is always a serviceable tight end, and Rome Odunze is hoping to make sure that his second year is a breakout one. However, I think that there are definitely a couple of additions that could make a difference. The fact that wide receiver Luther Burden fell to the second round was absolutely shocking because he is an incredible playmaker that can take off after the catch, so this is definitely somebody that Caleb would absolutely dream to have as a teammate. In the first round, the Bears drafted a stunner in tight end Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren, but Ben Johnson knew that this guy would fit the Sam LaPorta mold perfectly. Loveland is also going to give Kmet something to think about in training camp, because if he develops in the right direction, then the starting job for tight end is definitely going to change hands at some point in the season. The biggest improvements that Chicago made with their offense revolved around their line. They traded for a four-time champion in All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, made another trade for Jonah Jackson, and signed the best free agent center in Drew Dalman. You pair those three with Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, that is a solid line. Last year, it was a complete abomination as it gave up the most sacks in the entire NFL, so Johnson is hoping that they make a very quick turnaround.

Despite the Bears defense finishing tenth in takeaways, this unit was average at best. They allowed the sixth most yards in football, ranked sixteenth in both passing and sacks, finished the fifth worst in rushing yards allowed, and placed thirteenth in points given up. I really don’t see Dennis Allen as an upgrade over Matt Eberflus, but he is at least a better coordinator than a head coach. The biggest moves that Chicago made with its defense in free agency is with the defensive line, just to make sure that the identity was not “Montez Sweat or bust.” By the way, he only had 5.5 sacks in 2024. Fortunately, he has a lot more help around him this time. Dayo Odeyingbo got himself a big contract of $48 million over three years, and even though I think they overpaid a tad too much for Grady Jarrett, he is at least a proven pass rusher that might have just needed a change of scenery. What I want to see, though, is the younger guys stepping up. This means that Chris Williams, Austin Booker, and Gervon Dexter are going to need to post bigger numbers. Otherwise, it won’t be long before Ryan Poles sends any one of them to another organization. In the linebacker room, they still have Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards as a rock-solid duo, but they also need to prove that whatever happened last year was just a fluke. The secondary is still an opportunistic unit with a lot of key playmakers. Jaylon Johnson is easily a top three cornerback, Jaquan Brisker is one of the most underappreciated safeties in football when he is on the field, Tyrique Stevenson still has plenty of room to grow, and Kyler Gordon will hope to have a bounce-back year as well. I’m not saying that this defense is going to be great, but if Ben Johnson can get the offense back on track, then there won’t be an overwhelming amount of pressure that they have to drag throughout the season.

Like a few other games this year, this is one that I do not see the 49ers losing. Unless Brock Purdy implodes against a respected Bears defense, or Caleb Williams has the game of his life, then the 49ers should find a way to make a couple more plays than the opposition. Otherwise, the NFC West runs through Los Angeles.

WEEK 18 vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Normally, I would say that this series is not going to end in a sweep, but I think one team is going to push for a division title and the other is just simply hoping to end the regular season on a high note. Given the fact that this is in Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers are going to treat this game like a playoff one, so I see no excuse as to why they lose. Especially to Sam Darnold.

FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 12-5