The 49ers  are one of the hottest teams   in the NFL with a 5-1 start that included a 3 game East Coast road winning streak. The team looked great pulling off the 2 most impressive comeback victories in the league this season with wins in Philadelphia  and  Detroit. Throw in the 45 point blowout of the  Tampa Bay Bucs  and the 49ers  are playing as well as any team in football.

After starting 1-5 last season expectations for this season were low for the 49ers  who weren’t favored by many to win the lowly NFC West. The most eye opening part of the 49ers huge turnaround this season is that the hardest part of their schedule is already finished. Among the five teams at 5-1 and the 6-0 Packers the 49ers  had by far the toughest schedule to open the season. Teams the 49ers have faced have a combined winning percentage of .559 compare that to the Lions .500, Ravens .444, Chargers .346, and the Packers .353 (no wonder they are 6-0!) is an indication of just how good these 49ers  really are.

A look at some advanced statistics and the remaining schedule and the 2011 49ers  may end the season as the top seed in the NFC.

READ WHY ON PAGE 2
(more…)