49ers schedule: 5 most winnable games in 2017

Niner Noise takes a new look at the San Francisco 49ers’ five most winnable games in 2017. Which opponents provide the Niners with the best opportunity to improve upon last year’s record?

Few analysts and experts are projecting the San Francisco 49ers to be anything close to good in 2017.

It’s not a surprise. The Niners, after all, are coming off a 2-14 record a year ago and are only in the initial phases of a complete roster overhaul.

General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will need more than just one offseason to turn things around. While the work they have done is commendable, there is still a long way to go.

Odds Shark currently lists the over-under for San Francisco at 4.5 wins. On one hand, the under could still result in a doubling of the 49ers’ win total from 2016. Yet it’s not out of the question to assume the Niners reach a bit and make the over — a question I broke down over at 49ers Webzone recently.

For reference, here’s the 2017 schedule, courtesy of the team’s website:

While this schedule appears to be much easier than the one the Niners faced a year ago, it’s far from a cakewalk. Teams like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Houston Texans still present tough contests.

And the Seattle Seahawks still reign supreme in the NFC West.

But there are some very winnable games on the schedule.

In this slideshow, we’ll look at the five most-winnable games for the red and gold this upcoming season, starting off with a team matching up against one of its former wide receiver, Pierre Garcon.

No. 5: Week 6 at Washington Redskins

Wide receiver Pierre Garcon will face off against his former squad, the Washington Redskins, in Week 6 this season.

San Francisco 49ers

In many ways, the Redskins are going through all the front-office turmoil the Niners endured in recent seasons. Washington fired general manager Scot McCloughan, in what looked to be a very controversial decision. There were issues with quarterback Kirk Cousins trying to secure a trade after he was hit with a franchise tag for the second year in a row.

And the Redskins lost wide receivers Garcon and DeSean Jackson in free agency, as well as watching former offensive coordinator Sean McVay depart for the Los Angeles Rams’ head coaching job.

Needless to say, things seem to be falling apart in Washington.

Cousins no longer has two of his most prolific receiving weapons. And the Redskins defense, especially up front, is a work in progress.

The only thing making this a tough contest for San Francisco is the fact it’s the third consecutive week the 49ers are on the road.

Yet head coach Kyle Shanahan surely will want to knock off his former employer, so look for this to be extra motivation.

No. 4: Week 17 at Los Angeles Rams

The fourth easiest-winnable game on the 49ers’ 2017 schedule is an NFC West divisional showdown to close out the season.

Los Angeles is going through its own major changes entering this season. Jeff Fisher is no longer head coach, and a 31-year-old Sean McVay now holds the accolade of being the youngest head coach in the modern era.

Being a division rival, the Niners play the Rams twice this season. But two things set this game as slightly more difficult than the first time these two teams face off.

First, it’s a road contest. That goes without saying. Second, and perhaps more importantly, McVay may have his proverbial “ducks in a row” by the time Week 17 rolls around. Los Angeles’ dysfunction last season spilled over into this year. Offensively, quarterback Jared Goff has a lot to prove. So does third-year running back Todd Gurley.

Yet the defense remains strong, and new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is well respected.

It’s still hard to project the Rams offense taking notable strides this season, although one should expect this unit to be slightly better than it was last year.

Still, Los Angeles holds the lowly distinction of being the only team the 49ers could beat a year ago. And this year’s Niners crop is vastly improved.

No. 3: Week 13 at Chicago Bears

It was a bit of a tossup between this game versus the Chicago Bears and the next one on our list.

But this Week 13 showdown is slightly more difficult than No. 2 on our list simply based on the fact it’s a road game. That’s it though.

Plenty of chatter surrounded the 49ers and Bears after the now-famous Round 1 NFL Draft trade involving the Niners move-down from No. 2 to No. 3 — an exchange that still resulted in San Francisco landing its desired player, defensive end Solomon Thomas, plus an added three picks.

Indeed, general manager John Lynch “fleeced” the Bears with this move, as described in the video below:

Meanwhile, the Bears ended up grabbing quarterback Mitchell Trubisky — a player they easily could have picked at No. 3 had they stayed put.

Trubisky is currently competing with veteran QB Mike Glennon, who received a three-year, $45 million contract this offseason. It’s important to note, though, Glennon hasn’t taken a starting snap since 2014. Needless to say, there are problems under center in Chicago.

If the Bears defense emulated Chicago defenses of old, this game might resemble San Francisco’s Week 14 matchup against the Houston Texans — facing a great defense with a questionable offense.

Yet Chicago’s defense ranked 24th in the NFL last season with 399 points allowed, making this a very winnable game.

No. 2: Week 16 versus Jacksonville Jaguars

I’ll probably continue ripping the Jacksonville Jaguars as long as quarterback Blake Bortles is under center.

Bortles isn’t a starting-caliber QB, and the Jags offense will struggle as long as he’s holding down the starting reins.

Even so, the Jaguars wisely made a move to address their offensive problems this offseason, selecting standing LSU running back, Leonard Fournette, at No. 4 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Fournette changes the look of this offense. Yet 49ers fans are surely awaiting the reunion between Fournette and fellow first-round draftee, Niners linebacker Reuben Foster:

Enough of the fun clips though. What makes this a tough contest for the 49ers is how much Jacksonville has invested in its defense, especially via free agency, the past two years.

Scoring-wise, the numbers don’t suggest it. But the Jaguars did rank No. 6 in the NFL in fewest yards allowed (5,147).

So this might be a game where the 49ers let the Jacksonville offense make the majority of mistakes.

No. 1: Week 3 versus Los Angeles Rams

San Francisco’s only prime-time matchup this season, a Thursday Night Football contest in Week 3, features an NFC West showdown versus the Rams at Levi’s Stadium.

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Short weeks usually benefit the home team, making this game the most winnable on the 49ers’ 2017 schedule.

Like the Niners, Los Angeles is going through a slew of front-office changes. And those shakeups will take time to jell. Can head coach Sean McVay invigorate what was one of the league’s worst offenses a year ago? How much will he get out of 2016 first-overall draft pick, quarterback Jared Goff? Will running back Todd Gurley replicate his rookie year, or will this season be another case of a disappointing effort for the once-touted runner?

Sure, the 49ers are facing many of these same questions. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is installing a complex offensive system. The defense is also revamped and changing under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

And both Los Angeles and San Francisco have rosters filled with holes.

Still, this game remains the Niners’ most winnable based on these aforementioned facts. The Rams’ own rebuilding project has a long way to go, and the home-field advantage is something impossible to overlook.

Next: Win & loss predictions for each 49ers game in 2017

The 49ers should have little trouble pulling this one off.