FanSided predicts 49ers finish 10-7, lose in Wild Card round

With the 2021 NFL schedule released, FanSided predicts a quality season from the 49ers but one which falls short of expectations to some degree.

The San Francisco 49ers appear to play a very winnable slate of games in 2021 in the wake of this year’s NFL schedule being released. But if there are some downsides — there always are — the Niners’ early bye week doesn’t exactly afford a mid- or late-season respite.

And San Francisco is going to have an awful lot of travel back and forth across the country. That’s never easy either.

Yet if there’s one thing every 49ers fan can agree upon, it’s this year will be so much more successful if the team can merely stay somewhat healthy. At least any bit healthier than it was last year when a group of B- and C-team starters propelled head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad to a 6-10 finish.

Fortunately, FanSided NFL insider Matt Verderame predicts a bounce-back season from San Francisco in his comprehensive game-by-game predictions leading up to Super Bowl LVI, ultimately having the red and gold finish 10-7 and making it into the playoffs.

Ultimately, however, Verderame predicts the 49ers fall short once making it into the postseason, losing in the Wild Card round to the defending champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose own campaign to “run it back” falls short with a divisional-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

And Verderame’s choice for Super Bowl champs this season? The Kansas City Chiefs.

Make of our friend’s prediction what you will, but it’s going to be hard counting KC out of the mix regardless.

Dissecting the 49ers’ predicted 2021 campaign and finish

Interestingly enough, Verderame predicted the NFC West would send three teams into the playoffs, yet in the following order:

1. Los Angeles Rams: 12-5
2. Seattle Seahawks: 11-6
3. San Francisco 49ers: 10-7
4. Arizona Cardinals: 9-8

A few things to take away here. For starters, the prediction does reinforce the notion the NFC West is the strongest division in football. Most Niners fans would probably agree, especially if all four teams are predicted to have a better-than-.500 record.

Each year feels like “this will be the season the Seahawks scuffle,” and entering 2021 seems no different. But each year, San Francisco fans find themselves wondering how Seattle managed to outperform expectations once again.

The Wild Card loss to the Bucs also suggests it’ll be a matchup between quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo, which would be a good storyline. Assuming the 49ers are still riding with Jimmy G by that point and not their rookie quarterback, Trey Lance, it would make sense to admit Garoppolo wouldn’t be enough to shoulder a win over Brady and the Buccaneers.

At any rate, they’re just predictions, and there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun with them along the way.

And if you’re feeling down and out about Verderame’s predictions, you can always check out Niner Noise’s far-more-optimistic predictions below: