Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Why a fast start is mandatory to make playoffs in 2018

By Jeremy Wohlfart

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 08: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a game tying touchdown in the fourth quarter during the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 08: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a game tying touchdown in the fourth quarter during the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Aaron Burbridge #13 of the San Francisco 49ers leads teammates onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Aaron Burbridge #13 of the San Francisco 49ers leads teammates onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Early schedule

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

For the first six weeks, it’s a very tricky group of teams:

Week 1: @ Minnesota Vikings
Week 2: Detroit Lions
Week 3: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 4: @ Los Angeles Chargers
Week 5: Arizona Cardinals
Week 6: @ Green Bay Packers

Effectively this means facing three very tough teams in Green Bay, Kansas City and Minnesota. Add in two teams that could be very good this year in Los Angeles and Detroit, and add in a divisional rival in Arizona, and it’s very tricky indeed.

But the 49ers must prove they belong in the upper echelon that is the playoff teams, so a minimum of three to four wins must be eked out of this group of teams.

Detroit and Arizona are games that must be won at home, which means the team must find a way to drag out two away wins out of four from arguably the most challenging teams in that stretch.