The 49ers came out of their bye in a strong spot, and the rest of the schedule now looks a lot friendlier than it did before the season started. San Francisco sits at 6-1 and holds the NFC’s No. 1 seed heading into Week 9, with the second half of the year lined up around a slate that suddenly feels manageable.
That one loss still stands out. The Falcons caught the 49ers on a short week with a cross-country trip, and that was enough to hand San Francisco its lone setback. Even with that blemish, the team has built a cushion that gives it real room to chase a big finish.
The first assignment after the bye is the Las Vegas Raiders, and this is the kind of game the 49ers should handle. Las Vegas has dropped four of its last five, which makes this an obvious opportunity for San Francisco to keep rolling.
Dallas is another matchup that tends to bring out something extra in this roster. The rivalry with the Cowboys always gets attention, and the 49ers have backed it up by winning the last four meetings. Their most recent trip to Texas ended in a 23-17 victory, and that history gives San Francisco plenty of reason to feel good about this one.
Minnesota is trickier, even if the 49ers appear to have the stronger roster. Kyle Shanahan is 0-2 against Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, so this is the kind of game that deserves respect. Still, the expectation here is a win, even if it falls into the category Steve Young calls “dogfights” that have to be won.
The road trip to MetLife Stadium comes with its own baggage. History suggests the 49ers are always in danger of losing key players on that turf, and the list of names tied to that kind of concern includes Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas, Jimmy Garoppolo and Mykel Williams. Even so, San Francisco should still come away with the win, though this one looks like a tougher test against a John Harbaugh-led team under new coaching.
Then there’s the Los Angeles Chargers, who are 0-7 and already look cooked. That one feels like a must-win for San Francisco.
The Philadelphia Eagles also look vulnerable, and they’ll be without Jalen Hurts, who is out for the year. At 2-6, they appear to be moving toward positioning themselves for a better draft pick.
Arizona is another team the 49ers need to take care of. Even after beating the Seahawks and the Rams so far, the Cardinals may not repeat those results, and that makes this another game San Francisco has to finish.
With all of that on the board, 13 wins should be the baseline expectation. It’s there for the taking, especially with several games that looked tough in the preseason now sitting against teams with losing records.
The biggest hurdles left are two divisional opponents and the Chiefs, with Kansas City standing out as the one team Shanahan still hasn’t knocked off Andy Reid with.
In Other News...
Brock Purdy And Mike Evans Are Becoming A Real 49ers Weapon
The 49ers spent their bye week watching the standings break their way, with a Minnesota loss pushing San Francisco into the NFC's top seed and adding a little more weight to what has already been a strong season. One of the reasons the offense has stayed so dangerous is the growing connection between Brock Purdy and Mike Evans, a pairing that has quickly become one of the more efficient quarterback-receiver combinations in the league.
Even with Evans missing time because of Achilles tendonitis, the two have been remarkably productive when they have been on the field together, and the numbers back up the eye test. Purdy has found Evans for chunk gains and timely completions at a rate that has kept drives alive and defenses on edge, a useful wrinkle for a team trying to protect its place at the top of the conference as the season enters its stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Bye Week Could Put Several Current Roles In Jeopardy
The bye week often gives a coaching staff a chance to take stock, and for the 49ers it could mean a few crowded position groups get even tighter when they return. Several current roles appear vulnerable based on health and recent performance, with Colby among the players whose standing is under the microscope if his play does not pick up after the break.
Elsewhere, the ripple effect could hit Cowing, Valdez, Brown and White as the roster gets healthier and new pieces settle in. The bigger question is how much room there will be once the 49ers start sorting out snaps again, because some of these jobs may not just shrink, they could disappear from the weekly game plan altogether. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Suddenly Linked To A Chargers Pass Rusher Fans Know Well
The Chargers rough season has pushed them toward the kind of trade-deadline posture that usually turns a roster into a conversation piece, and a few familiar names are already surfacing as possible chips. Khalil Mack and Donte Jackson have been mentioned in that mix, but the edge rush market also includes Tuli Tuipulotu, a young pass rusher whose situation naturally draws attention as teams start looking for help up front.
For the 49ers, this is the sort of deadline chatter worth monitoring closely because pass rush remains one of the leagues most valuable commodities. Tuipulotu is in the final year of his rookie deal, and with no extension in place, the Chargers may have a decision to make if the phone keeps ringing. San Francisco is among the teams reported to have interest, along with Dallas, but for now it remains one of those deadline threads that could move fast or fade just as quickly. [Read more 🡒]