3 reasons why San Francisco 49ers will struggle in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: History Doesn’t Favor the 49ers
In the previous decade, the 2018 New England Patriots were the only team to win a Super Bowl the following year after losing it.
So for those hoping and praying the Niners are going to achieve their “revenge tour” for 2020, it might be a bit premature to get the hopes up too much. Sure, the Pats did it. But few organizations in professional sports have experienced the same kind of continued success as head coach Bill Belichick’s squad has.
San Francisco would like to get there. It’s not there yet.
Although, at least in one way, there’s a slight advantage for the 49ers. At least with regards to making the postseason. While the Patriots were the only team to win a Super Bowl after losing the year prior, six losers of the Super Bowl the past 10 years managed to at least make the postseason the following year.
That seems to fall in line with what many feel San Francisco will undergo this upcoming season.
Still, a 60 percent chance of making the postseason, at least based off recent history, isn’t exactly the kind of odds Kyle Shanahan and Co. would like to have. Getting towards 70 or 80 percent would be better, obviously.
If there’s a comparison, the 2019 Los Angeles Rams were a 9-7 disappointment after being a Super Bowl-losing powerhouse the year before.
Let’s hope San Francisco doesn’t suffer a similar fate.