The 49ers got the first month exactly how they wanted it: four wins, no losses, and a spot as one of the NFL’s three undefeated teams entering Week 5. But the real test is here now. San Francisco is about to walk into a stretch that looks nothing like the opening month - and it starts with a trip to Seattle.
That’s the first stop in a four-game run that could tell us a lot about what this 49ers team really is. The early schedule had its own bite, from a Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams to Sunday’s 24-14 victory over the Denver Broncos, when San Francisco had to keep pushing through a growing injury problem.
The 49ers have already shown they can survive some chaos. The next month asks a different question: can they keep winning when the competition gets heavier and the margin for error gets thinner?
Week 5 sends San Francisco to Lumen Field to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. It’s also the first time these two teams will meet since Seattle knocked the 49ers out in last season’s divisional round. And while that alone gives the matchup plenty of edge, the Seahawks enter with some real issues of their own.
Seattle’s running game is in question after Kenneth Walker III left in free agency and his top backup landed on injured reserve. That opens the door for Raheem Morris’ front seven to attack early, shut down the run and put Seattle in passing situations.
The 49ers then come home in Week 6 to host the Washington Commanders, a team that has already had to deal with quarterback injuries early in the season. Jayden Daniels is expected to be fully healthy for this one, but Washington’s secondary has been vulnerable from the start, giving up big gains through the air. That sets up well for Brock Purdy, whose accuracy and early MVP-level play should give San Francisco a chance to pick apart those soft coverages.
Week 7 is another road trip, this one cross-country to face Michael Penix Jr. and head coach Kevin Stefanski’s Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta is 2-2 and showed on Monday Night Football in Week 4 that it wants to lean on the backfield and control the clock. The Falcons found success on the ground against New Orleans, but if San Francisco can take that away early, Penix will have to beat a disciplined 49ers secondary throwing the ball.
After that comes a Week 8 bye, then a Week 9 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Las Vegas has been one of the better early surprises of 2026, opening 3-0 before falling in a close Week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Kirk Cousins has been efficient, and the Raiders arrive in Santa Clara with momentum still in the mix.
That’s the stretch. A 4-0 start has already put San Francisco in the spotlight and earned unanimous No. 1 rankings across the country.
But these next four weeks will do more than add to the record. They’ll show whether the 49ers are just off to a fast start or if they’re really built to own the NFC.
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49ers Are Rolling But Two Early Warning Signs Still Stand Out
The 49ers have opened 4-0 under Kyle Shanahan even while juggling significant injuries on both sides of the ball, and Brock Purdy has helped steady everything on offense. He leads the NFL in QBR and has not been sacked through four games, which has given San Francisco a clean, efficient starting point every week and helped keep the wins coming despite the attrition around him.
Still, the defense has not looked as airtight as the record suggests, especially up front and against the run. Injuries have thinned the pass rush, and the early-down issues in the ground game have been hard to ignore, leaving the 49ers with a couple of problems that could matter more once the schedule tightens and opponents start leaning into them. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Protection Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Seattle
Seattles defense is getting ready for a different kind of test in Week 5, with the Seahawks set to face the undefeated 49ers and Brock Purdy coming in without having taken a sack this season. For San Francisco, that protection has been a major part of the early success around its offense, and it sets up a familiar division matchup with an extra layer of urgency for the group up front.
Mike Macdonalds defense will try to be the first to break through, but the challenge is more than just finding the quarterback. Purdy has drawn attention for the way he operates the 49ers passing game, and Seattle knows it will need to disrupt both his timing and the rhythm of an offense that has stayed clean through the first month. How well the Seahawks can do that could go a long way toward shaping the tone of the game. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Have A Real Chance To Flip This Seahawks Matchup
The 49ers have spent the offseason reshaping the parts of the roster that can swing a divisional game, and the matchup with Seattle looks far different now than it did a year ago. San Franciscos receiver room has gained a bigger edge on paper, with the offense now built around more proven targets and a more balanced structure than the Seahawks are bringing into the game.
Seattles backfield situation only adds to the concern, because the room behind the starter has been thinned by injuries and departures. For a rivalry game that often comes down to who can stay on schedule and keep the quarterback comfortable, those missing pieces matter, and they help explain why San Francisco sees a real path to controlling the matchup if its own offense executes cleanly. [Read more 🡒]