The 49ers are arguably just as good if not better than they were last season. Coming off a Super Bowl defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers are poised to try and have another chance to lift the Lombardi Trophy.
The 49ers had their chance to win the Super Bowl but let it slip away during the final seven minutes blowing a 10-point lead to lose by 11 to the Chiefs. It will be the most painful defeat most players will ever experience. Who knows what could have been in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo makes the pass to Emmanuel Sanders. These will be questions of what could have been for San Francisco.
It’s now a new year and they did not make many changes this offseason. The team returns 20 of 24 starters on offense and defense. It’s simple for the 49ers: Super Bowl or bust.
Offense
The offense may start a bit shaky with the 49ers being hit by injury. Center Weston Richburg, wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk all sustained recent injuries which may hinder them to play at the start of the season. The squad may be playing lots of backups in September which could put them an early hole.
Once healthy, watch out as the team was second in points in 2019 and one thing is that George Kittle is healthy and looks more determined than ever. He will have a monster season and will see plenty of targets especially with the injuries on the outside.
Lastly, Garoppolo looks healthier with another year under his belt coming off of torn ACL. He no longer needs a brace and his decision making looks sharper than last season. He is on a mission to prove doubters wrong and this maturity will be showcased this season.
Defense
The biggest loss may be the trade of DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis where the 49ers received a first round pick for him and selected his replacement in Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina. The defense is the same other than Buckner where they were second in points allowed.
Kinlaw is not as polished but he has immense raw potential. The team will need to be patient with him but he will make an immediate impact this season. He will most likely split time with Solomon Thomas at the defensive tackle position.
Nick Bosa will continue to grow and show him dominance like he did last season. The defensive depth on the line allows the rest of the team to play more freely as the team knows they only need to rush 4 to get to the quarterback.
In the secondary, Richard Sherman looks as good as ever and is really challenging the rest of team to step up. The acquisition of Jimmy Ward helps sure up the secondary and hopes he can be the playmaker he was in Denver.
Overview
The team is setup for success again with a decently soft schedule. I know the team went 13-3 last season which is a great record. I think the depth of the division will create more of a challenge than last season.
This division will come down to the very last week probably with Seattle and San Francisco battling. I believe San Francisco will just be able to hold off the Seahawks. The 49ers know their goal which is to win the Super Bowl and they have the third best odds out of everyone at +900 according to DraftKings.
Prediction: 12-4, NFC West Champions
The 49ers will be just below their record of last season just in part because of having to play more legitimate starters. Last season, the team faced plenty of backups like Kyle Allen and Mason Rudolph.
The 49ers will be dominant again this season but do not be surprised if they get off to a potential rocky start with the amount of injuries suffered so far. They are currently +900 to win the Super Bowl.
