Niner Noise
FanSided

Previewing Each Game on the San Francisco 49ers 2016 Schedule

By Peter Panacy

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The San Francisco 49ers are set to hit the NFL preseason this weekend in preparation for what promises to be an intriguing 2016 regular season for the red and gold. Niner Noise breaks down all 16 contests and talks how the 49ers can win or lose each game.

January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Phil Dawson (9) is congratulated after kicking the game-winning field goal during overtime against the St. Louis Rams at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Rams 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Phil Dawson (9) is congratulated after kicking the game-winning field goal during overtime against the St. Louis Rams at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Rams 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Actual NFL football will take place this weekend, and the San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for their first preseason contest against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

While many view preseason games as little more than meaningless for fans and mere observation points for coaching staffs, we can at least know these exhibition contests go a long way in formulating a 53-man roster. The 49ers have no shortage of questions as to how this pans out, which makes these games critical.

But the real tests come in the regular season.

According to John Breech of CBS Sports, the 49ers are tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the league’s toughest 2016 schedule — opponents’ winning percentages from last year work out to a .555 mark.

This doesn’t help matters much. A Niners team coming off a 5-11 record and laden with question marks, and still playing in the vaunted NFC West, probably won’t fare too well against their opponents this season.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise the 49ers aren’t favored to win any of their games this year.

Let’s look beyond that though and break down each individual contest San Francisco has on its calendar. For each game, we’ll preview the matchup as things stand now and try to figure out how the Niners could win or, obviously, lose each game.

There will be plenty of factors changing between now and each individual game, of course, and we won’t go into the whole “the football isn’t round” or “any given Sunday” cliches too often heard.

Instead, let’s look at the real factors and X-factors for each San Francisco contest in 2016.

Next: The Preseason