The San Francisco 49ers were the hottest team in the league over the second half of the season, and nobody is looking forward to facing them in the playoffs this year.
After a 3-4 start to the 2022 season, there were plenty of fans and analysts already writing off the San Francisco 49ers. Under the direction of head coach Kyle Shanahan since 2017, this team has seen both good and bad seasons; there really hasn’t been an in-between.
Shanahan took over a 2-14 football team, and over the next four seasons, his squad would surpass 6 wins just once. Some believed that the 2022 49ers were going to be an average NFL team this year, but nothing could be further from the truth.
This is a team that should have every other playoff squad shivering in their boots. Here are three reasons why nobody wants to mess with the 49ers this post-season.
49ers are the hottest team in the NFL
Since their underwhelming start, San Francisco has closed out the regular season by winning 10 straight games and finishing with a 13-4 record. Sadly, this still wasn’t good enough to earn the lone first-round bye in the NFC — that belongs to the 14-3 Eagles.
While the Eagles technically finished as the top seed in the NFC, it’s hard to argue that the 49ers aren’t the hottest team in the NFL since Week 8. Though San Francisco didn’t exactly have the most difficult schedule in the league, they more than took care of business against pedestrian competition. During this span, the 49ers have outscored their opponents on an average by 16.1 points per game with an average final score of 30.5-14.4, per ESPN stats.
This team is blazing hot right now and just capped off the season with a 38-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The NFL is all about getting hot at the right time, and nobody is going to want to mess with this squad that has been on fire since the second half of the season.
49ers punishing defense will make teams pay
If defenses win championships, then go ahead and size the San Francisco 49ers for their Super Bowl rings. This unit has been one of the best defenses we have seen in decades for a number of reasons.
According to Football Outsiders, the 49ers have the number-one-ranked DVOA defense in the league. In terms of raw numbers, San Francisco ranks first in points allowed per game (16.3) and yards allowed per game (300.3), via Team Rankings. This team is also tied for the most efficient run defense in the NFL — allowing just 3.4 yards per attempt on the ground.
DeMeco Ryans deserves a ton of credit for putting his squad in a tier above the rest. He will be one of the top head coaching candidates thanks to his excellence in San Francisco. However, it helps when you have a future Defensive Player of the Year in Nick Bosa.
Bosa is having a career year as he racked up 18.5 sacks and a whopping 48 quarterback hits during the regular season. It’s worth noting that he missed one game this year as well. Meanwhile, the 49ers have a dominant group of linebackers with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw and a secondary that can make you pay if you’re not careful with the football.
49ers are the most consistent team in the NFL
Becoming a Super Bowl champion takes consistency, and nobody has more of it this year than the San Francisco 49ers. Even when compared to other top teams around the league like the Chiefs, Eagles, Bills, or Cowboys, Kyle Shanahan rarely allows his team to hit rock bottom and his lows aren’t nearly as low.
This is important, as it requires a nearly flawless four-game stretch in the post-season to become Super Bowl champions. With the talent and depth this team has around their roster, even the best NFL teams should be afraid of them.
Despite having a rookie quarterback at the helm in Brock Purdy, the 49ers have one of the most consistent and high-powered offenses in the league. They do an excellent job of taking care of the football and they finished fourth in yards per play.
With a bullying offensive line and imposing skill players at running back, receiver, and tight end, it’s incredibly hard to match up well against a team that can easily chew up yards on the ground as well as make you pay after the catch.
The 49ers will host the Seattle Seahawks this week, and their following opponent will be determined based on the outcomes of games in the NFC. I can say with confidence that teams will not want to get matched up with San Francisco in the playoffs this year.