Sourdough Sam
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- Mar 20, 2019
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Ranking the NFL's Worst-to-First Candidates in 2021
Just a year following the 49ers NFC West Championship season and Super Bowl LIV run, San Francisco closed out 2020 missing the playoffs with a 6-10 record and coming in last in arguably the most competitive division in the league. Looking ahead to 2021, NFL.com contributing columnist Adam Schein ranked the top contenders to climb from worst-to-first during the upcoming season. Here's what he had to say about the 49ers:
"Just how hard is this exercise this year? Well, my top worst-to-first candidate is San Francisco -- a team I'd currently predict to finish third in its division, behind the Rams and Cardinals. That's not a slight to the 49ers, but rather a reflection of the NFC West's status as the best quartet in the NFL bar none. Shoot, I have the Seahawks, who've logged double-digit wins in eight of the past nine seasons, finishing last. This division's going to be spectacularly competitive. And despite my current forecast, there are plenty of reasons to believe San Francisco will win the West.
"First of all, the 49ers get a clean bill of health. No team suffered a worse spate of injuries than San Francisco in 2020. The return of Nick Bosa, in particular, changes everything for the defense. The 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year tore his ACL in Week 2 of last season. In a related note, the Niners finished the season 22nd in sacks. With Bosa, the 49ers front gets its bite back. On the offensive side of the ball, Kyle Shanahan is one of the best minds in the game today, and I love the weaponry at his disposal. Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle provide enticing diversity and dynamism in the passing game, while the committee backfield is full of one-cut runners who excel in Shanahan's system, with rookie third-rounder Trey Sermon fitting the bill. The offensive line -- headlined by Trent Williams, the best left tackle in the NFL right now -- remains stout."