Within the NFL’s best world, half of the groups within the league would end 9-8 and the opposite half 8-9.
So it appears becoming that the 49ers — 4-4 and topic to each wild ups and downs within the first half of the season — discover themselves in a great place to be the NFC’s workforce to beat for the rest of the season.
The Niners won't be undefeated just like the Eagles, or be atop their division just like the Vikings or Seahawks, however San Francisco is turning into a stylish decide to win the convention come January.
Regardless of the Niners’ file, FanDuel sportsbook has San Francisco because the second-favorites to win the NFC this season — behind Philadelphia — at plus-500. (Wager $1 to win $5.)
It’s a superb wager.
The rationale is straightforward: The Niners’ highs are as spectacular as any workforce within the NFL, and the NFC stinks this season, even with the Eagles’ league-best begin.
The 49ers have their issues, little doubt. And I’m sure they are going to make the rest of this season harder than wanted.
However that’s simply the way in which the Niners do enterprise. And that enterprise does effectively come the crucial weeks of the common season and playoffs.
The Niners are constructed to play “January Soccer” which is all about protection, operating the ball, and capitalizing on third down.
For the 49ers, that ought to be test, test, and test.
And regardless of the identify, January Soccer is performed — and required — effectively earlier than the calendar flips.
The Niners’ protection has proven the flexibility to be the NFL’s greatest. And whereas it gained’t have cornerback Jason Verrett on the sector this season — he tore his Achilles tendon this week in his effort to return from an ACL damage — San Francisco does have depth at that place and may see the returns of linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and defensive deal with Arik Armstead within the coming days, offering an enormous enhance to the workforce’s run protection.
San Francisco already made its transfer to run the ball higher for the second half and past. Christian McCaffrey’s notoriety may come from his means to do all the pieces on the sector, as displayed within the Niners’ win over the Rams when he scored a landing hat trick (operating, passing, catching). He’s a superb runner of the soccer who added a severe spark to an offense that was averaging 4.4 yards per carry earlier than he arrived.
Moreover, the return of Eli Mitchell, the No. 1 again getting into the season, ought to give the 49ers a one-two punch within the backfield able to executing Kyle Shanahan’s best offense, which runs the ball on first and second down.
Then comes third down. Success within the NFL is dictated by it.
Garoppolo was arguably the NFL’s greatest third-down quarterback when the Niners went to the Tremendous Bowl in 2019. Final season represented a severe regression.
Garoppolo hasn’t been an ace third-down quarterback this season both, however he has been a lot better than final season. His 109 quarterback score on third down is markedly higher than NFC rivals Kyler Murray (85.4), Aaron Rodgers (84.9), Kirk Cousins (83.8), and Tom Brady (77.3) — and seventh total within the NFL.
That’s serviceable.
And it ought to get higher, as long as the Niners can keep wholesome.
With McCaffrey, the return of Deebo Samuel (who missed the Niners’ final recreation), George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings, the Niners have 5 top-flight viable move catchers that may transfer throughout the sector on the cash down.
“You’ve acquired 5 guys who can contact the ball,” Shanahan mentioned, “so the extra folks have to fret about these 5 guys, the higher. You bought two guys who're somewhat bit interchangeable [in Samuel and McCaffrey]. They’re totally different positions, however they each can play the opposite one’s place, so it simply makes it lots simpler to distribute the sector.
“It’s not like Deebo goes to do that for him or he’s going to do this for Deebo. They each do it for everyone together with each other and themselves. It simply makes somewhat bit extra space and, it makes somewhat bit extra of a menace on whoever will get the ball of their arms.”
Add in Shanahan’s means to scheme gamers open within the passing recreation, and if Garoppolo can’t get them the ball on third down, that’s on the quarterback.
This can be a league that’s in the end outlined by that place, in any case.
The Niners have supplied some severe heartburn at first of the season, however they're ready the place they solely have to play their greatest soccer late within the marketing campaign.
The Niners have numerous issues going for them heading into this important portion of the season — a stretch the place they moderately have to win 5 of their remaining 9 video games to make the postseason.
That’s an affordable expectation, which might arrange even bigger expectations within the postseason. cx