San Francisco 49ers: 5 storylines you did not expect in 2019
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: The 49ers Would Be a Super Bowl Contender
Back when the 2019 NFL schedule was released, the most optimistic of opinions likely would have had the 49ers finishing the regular season with 10, maybe 11 wins. The more realistic takes probably were shooting for a .500 finish.
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Heck, even just playing meaningful games in December would be an improvement over what transpired the last four seasons.
Earlier this year, the Action Network set the over/under on Niners wins at eight, predicting what many thought would likely be the case: a .500 season.
And here the 49ers are entering Week 17, a 12-win team with a real chance of finishing with the best record in the NFC.
It’s not just the strong regular-season record, either. Some of the loftier predictions said the Niners could be a playoff team, perhaps a squad lucky enough to squeak in as a 10-6 Wild Card team, probably winding up being ousted in the first round of the playoffs.
The Wild Card portion and premature first-round exit are still both possibilities, of course. But with the Action Network giving San Francisco plus-550 odds to win Super Bowl LIV, tied for second best among all remaining contenders, it’s safe to say the Niners have far exceeded expectations.
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Again, you probably didn’t see that coming, either.