Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers did not have the season they hoped for in 2024, when they fell to 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in a disappointing campaign derailed by injuries.
It was a year that called for re-shuffling, as the 49ers parted ways with several veterans, either via trade or release, and looked to get younger, while focusing on extended key pieces.
While San Francisco still had several Pro Bowl-caliber players on the roster, they were expected to take a step back, prioritizing the development of its younger players.
And yet, the 49ers are 4-1, winning three games with backup quarterback Mac Jones, while maneuvering through injuries to key starters Brock Purdy, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Ben Bartch, and others.
Currently, they’re tied for the best record in the NFL, despite a ton of first and second-year talent seeing the field and a completely new receiver core in Week 5. That leads us to the question: Are the 49ers a top NFC contender again? ESPN’s Bill Barnwell thinks so.
“Nick Bosa being out for the season might be what keeps the Niners from being the type of elite Super Bowl contender they were a couple of years ago, when they held a lead in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII before losing to Kansas City,” Barnwell wrote. “But other than that, they’re pretty much guaranteed to get healthier, and their schedule does not appear to get harder. They have a tough road game at Tampa Bay next weekend, but after that they play only two more games against teams that made last year’s playoffs, and the last of those games is Nov. 9.
“San Francisco’s road to the playoffs looks as smooth as anyone’s, and if it gets some of those key players back, it has a real chance to contend for the NFC’s top seed. Again, the Niners are in first place in what might be the league’s toughest division, and they already have wins over the Seahawks and Rams on the road. The 49ers have had a brutally difficult start to the season in terms of what has happened to them. But so far they’ve been able to overcome it, which sets them up well the rest of the way.“
At 4-1 and 3-0 in the division, the 49ers have a strong buffer to make the playoffs one way or another. They do have some tough games, as Barnwell noted, including this weekend’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But, after that, there are just three more teams with a record over .500 remaining on the roster.
Additionally, there are still games against the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, and Tennessee Titans this year, which could all be wins.
It’s unclear if the 49ers can be a top contender, as they need to show more against top playoff teams, like they did in Week 5. But, they’re winning the opportunities given to them and are finding ways...
