Upon the release of the 2022 NFL schedule, I predicted the 49ers, under then presumed starting quarterback Trey Lance, would win 13 regular season games and make some noise as a player in the NFC playoffs.
I was correct in my final win tally, but the how turned out to be as important, if not more so, than which games they won.
By the time the year was over, the 49ers had, in fact, won the predicted 13 games, but I couldn't in a million years have guessed that they'd use three different quarterbacks, trade for running back Christian McCaffrey, and possibly miss out on another Super Bowl matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs partially because quarterback Brock Purdy couldn't throw a football for three quarters of the NFC Championship Game.
And so it is with mild trepidation that I embark upon yet another season of prognostication regarding the 49ers schedule, which, like the rest of the NFL, was released Thursday night. I took a stab at guessing wins and losses soon after the 49ers' opponents were set in stone, but now it's time to look at the schedule as a whole.
The 49ers schedule for 2023 looks like this:
- Week 1: at Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 2: at Los Angeles Rams
- Week 3: vs New York Giants (TNF)
- Week 4: vs Arizona Cardinals
- Week 5: vs Dallas Cowboys (SNF)
- Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
- Week 7: at Minnesota Vikings (MNF)
- Week 8: vs Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 9: BYE
- Week 10: at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 11: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 13: at Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 14: vs Seattle Seahawks
- Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals
- Week 16: vs Baltimore Ravens (MNF)
- Week 17: at Washington Commanders
- Week 18: vs Los Angeles Rams
No, I won't be diving any deeper than just game-by-game. Mostly because who would begin to think about things getting any more topsy-turvy than they did in 2022.
So, without further ado, let's take a leap into the 49ers 2023 schedule, starting with the season opener against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
Week 1: Sunday, September 10, at Pittsburgh, 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
Pittsburgh having a successful 2023 will all depend on whether or not quarterback Kenny Pickett makes something resembling a leap in his second year. He showed flashes during his rookie season in his 13 games and 12 starts, but a negative touchdown to interception ratio is not going to cut it for a full season.
Running back Najee Harris has been solid in both of his NFL seasons so far, but saw a downtick in both yards and attempts in 2022. The offense as a whole lacked a lot of firepower last year and barring any massive upgrades, it will need to lean heavily on second-year wideout George Pickens to also take another step forward to carry the load. Pretty big ask.
Their defense, then, will have to carry the day as it has for several years now, with All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt leading the charge. He’ll again be joined by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, EDGE rusher Alex Highsmith, and defensive tackle Cam Haywood along with newcomers in cornerback Patrick Peterson and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi as they look to build another top unit in the league.
That said, if the defenses are both capable of making stops, it’ll probably come down to which offense can overcome the defense just enough. Count on the 49ers to be able to handle that a bit better than the Steelers.
49ers W
Record: 1-0
49ers' W Record:
Week 2: Sunday, September 17, at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 PM ET/1:05 PM PT
The Rams are a strange NFC West opponent.
It was only two seasons ago that they won the Super Bowl. Now it looks like they could be among the worst teams in the NFL.
So much depends upon the health of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who, if he returns from an injury-plagued 2022, could be back among the best in the conference at his position. But if the pain continues to linger, he could hold a Rams offense that still features wide receiver Cooper Kupp, back from success.
The defense, still led by All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, also lost key pieces in the offseason from a unit that struggled with the 49ers last year.
And there’s the rub. The 49ers have owned the Rams in the regular season and with LA seemingly punting on 2023, that should continue.
49ers' W
Record: 2-0
Week 3: Thursday, vs New York Giants, 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT
The Giants got off to a hot start in 2022 before backing their way into one of the Wild Card spots in the playoffs. They beat the probably fraudulently 13-4 Vikings before getting smashed by the NFC Champion-winning Eagles in the Divisional Round.
The response to that year, one that surprised pretty much everyone, is to more or less run it back, which included signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a massive contract extension and re-signing running back Saquon Barkley to a big deal. They also traded for tight end Darren Waller, who after a breakout season in 2020, has played just one entire season’s worth of games in the last two years, slowing his production.
Defensively they’ve got some pieces in defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams alongside EDGE rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. Still, by and large, this is a middle-of-the-road team that may have peaked last season given its personnel.
It could be that 2022 was a springboard to bigger things for the G-Men, but the more likely outcome is that Jones is what his first few seasons showed and didn’t suddenly figure it out, which means the Giants are going back to be mediocre to bad.
Niners win this one, maybe running away. The Thursday night of it all this early in the season shouldn't have a massive impact on the outcome.
49ers' W
Record: 3-0
Week 4: Sunday, October 1, vs Arizona, 4:25 PM ET/1:25 PM PT
The Arizona Cardinals are falling apart.
With quarterback Kyler Murray expected to miss part of the regular season recovering from his torn ACL and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins looking to get out of town, there isn’t much to like about this team.
The organization doesn’t seem too interested in saving itself in 2023, so look for the Cardinals to not only finish last in the NFC West but also to contend for the no.1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Anything less than a sweep of the Cardinals this season would be sad and unacceptable.
49ers' W
Record: 4-0
Week 5: Sunday, October 8, vs Dallas, 8:20 PM ET/4:20 PM PT
It was really nice of Jerry Jones to build the 49ers a Texas-based second home, wasn’t it?
All jokes aside, this is a matchup that the 49ers have figured out in the playoffs the last two seasons, ending the Cowboys’ Super Bowl hopes for two years in a row now.
Yes, there is a lot of talent on this team with quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, running back Tony Pollard, linebacker Micah Parsons, and EDGE rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, to name a few, but the existence of head coach Mike McCarthy at the helm sort of makes this feel like a team that has reached its peak by winning a lot in the regular season and falling short when it matters.
That said, this is a regular season game, but Dallas has to come to Santa Clara. It’s a game that should look a lot like the recent playoff matchups in just about every way, including the 49ers winning.
49ers' W
Record: 5-0
Week 6: Sunday, October 15, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM ET/10 PM PT
I'll keep saying this, but the Browns are a weird team.
On paper, they have some strong players like running back Nick Chubb, EDGE rusher Myles Garrett, and wide receiver Amari Cooper.
But then there’s the elephant in the room, although he’s hardly unspoken about: quarterback Deshaun Watson. The embattled signal-caller didn’t exactly earn his massive contract in his six games last season, finishing his campaign completing just 58% of his passes for 1102 yards, seven touchdowns, and five picks while looking generally lost. Even if he improves upon that, this still feels like a matchup the 49ers should win, even if it is too close for comfort.
49ers' W
Record: 6-0
Week 7: Monday, October 23, at Minnesota, 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT
The Vikings were among the luckiest teams in NFL history last year on their way to a 13-4 record and a NFC North title. Eleven of their thirteen wins came by one score or fewer and they finished the year with a -3 point differential.
Yes, they should still be good on offense with quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook, and All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson and the addition of rookie first-rounder Jordan Addision out of USC.
But the defense remains an issue even with the likes of EDGE rushers Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith still in town along with safety Harrison Smith. If they don’t step up on that side of the ball, it may not matter how good the offense is.
Ultimately, this is a matchup that the 49ers have owned in recent memory and even though they have to travel to Minnesota, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t win this game. Especially in prime time, where Cousins tends to struggle.
49ers' W
Record: 7-0
Week 8: Sunday, October 29, vs Cincinnati, 4:25 PT ET/1:25 PM PT
The Bengals could very well have two trips to the Super Bowl and at least one title under their belt from the last few seasons.
Alas, they fell apart in the Super Bowl against the Rams two years ago and couldn’t quite complete the comeback against Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game last year, leaving Bengals fans with a slightly bitter taste in their mouths.
In some ways, there are comparisons between the 49ers and the Bengals of late, although Cincinati has the one thing the 49ers do not: a franchise quarterback at the helm who can take over games if he needs to.
That offense, led by quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins is potent, although there are still questions about the running game with Joe Mixon still unsigned (and facing some legal trouble) and rookie fifth-round running back Chase Brown out of Illinois currently the only ball carrier on the roster.
The defense has some bite to it as well, with pass rushers Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson, defensive tackle DJ Reader, and cornerback Mike Hilton serving as solid, if unspectacular, options.
This matchup will all come down to whether the Bengals can keep Burrow upright, something they’ve been trying to shore up since the former LSU Tiger got to Cincinnati. If they can, the skill position guys are going to present a matchup problem for the 49ers and may lead to a Bengals victory, even on the road.
If not, the 49ers defensive line can feast and possibly take the win. In this predication, the 49ers take their first loss of the season heading into the bye week.
49ers' L
Record: 7-1
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: Sunday, November 12, at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM ET/10 AM PT
The Jaguars are certainly not the laughingstock of the league they have been in recent years, and they shocked most pundits by making it to the playoffs a year ahead of schedule in 2022. Not only that, they came back from a 27-7 halftime deficit to beat the Chargers in the Wild Card Round 31-30 before succumbing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the Divisional Round in a closer-than-expected matchup.
This means the Jags are no slouches and should benefit from the experience in 2023 and beyond.
Chief among the reasons for their quick rise is quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who threw for over 4000 yards along with 25 touchdowns against just eight interceptions while running for five more scores. Combining with his former Clemson backfield mate Travis Etienne, tight end Evan Engram, and wide receiver Christian Kirk made for a solid offense that should only improve heading into Lawrence’s third season with the addition of rookie wideout Zay Jones.
The defense should also be a solid group, with talented linebackers Josh Allen and Travon Walker leading the way.
The 49ers will be in for a tough matchup, but after a week of rest, this should be a game they can win in the end.
49ers' W
Record: 8-1
Week 11: Sunday, November 19, vs Tampa Bay, 4:05 PM ET/1:05 PM PT
The Bucs are going to be bad in 2023 as they look to rebuild after a few years of contention with Tom Brady at the helm.
They still have some decent skill position players with wide receiver Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs standing in as one of the league’s best offensive tackles. But trusting all that to quarterback Baker Mayfield feels a lot like driving a fancy new sports car and then letting your grandmother, who simply refuses to go a tick above 30 miles per hour, drive it.
The defense has also fallen apart since their Super Bowl win a few seasons ago, although it still has good players like cornerback Carlton Davis III, defensive tackle Vita Vea, linebacker Devin White, and EDGE rusher Shaq Barrett.
Still, I wouldn’t expect much from this Bucs team even in a weak NFC South where pretty much every team is in some form of rebuild mode.
The 49ers should win this one on the strength of its defense and doing enough on offense to win.
49ers' W
Record: 9-1
Week 12: Thursday, November 23, at Seattle, 8:20 PM ET/5:20 PM PT
The Seahawks figure to be the 49ers’ main competitor in the NFC West again, after surprising the entire NFL by pushing the Niners for the division and eventually making the playoffs in 2022.
The NFL seems to be aware of this, hence the scheduling of these two teams in close proximity, just like in 2022, but this time much later in the season. Thus begins the 49ers' toughest stretch, starting with this Thanksgiving night matchup in the Pacific Northwest.
It all comes down to whether quarterback Geno Smith’s breakout season was a sign of things to come or a flash in the pan because Seattle has a solid group of receivers in DJ Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and 2023 NFL Draft first-rounder Jaxson Smith-Njigba alongside second year running back Kenneth Walker III.
The defense should also be improved with 2023 first-round cornerback Devon Witherspoon joining returning linebacker Bobby Wagner and Devin Bush and safety Jamal Adams holding down that side of the ball.
Chances are high each team wins on its home field, although expect close games unless Geno Smith turns out to not be the guy the Seahawks saw last year
49ers' L
Record: 9-2
Week 13: Sunday, December 3, at Philadelphia, 4:25 PM ET/1:25 PM PT
The Eagles lost some key parts of their NFC Championship-winning defense, particularly Javon Hargrave, now a member of the 49ers. But they retooled in the draft, adding troubled George defensive tackle Jalen Carter and his Bulldog running mate Nolan Smith in the first round.
On top of that, Philly inked quarterback Jalen Hurts to a long-term extension after his breakout in 2022, which means the Eagles should continue to have one of the NFL’s best offenses along with wideouts DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown along with tight end Dallas Goedert and new running back DeAndre Swift.
Having to travel to Philadelphia again will be all about exorcising demons for the 49ers and some of this may come down to when the game happens. This may be a loss for the 49ers at a most inopportune time.
49ers' L
Record: 9-3
Week 14: Sunday, December , vs Seattle, 4:05 PM ET/1:05 PM PT
Seattle again, this time in Santa Clara for the grudge match.
After losing two in a row for the first time all season, expect the 49ers to come out looking to right the ship as the 2023 campaign moves into its final weeks.
In my mind, they should be able to do so.
49ers' W
Record: 10-3
Week 15: Sunday, December 17, at Arizona, 4:05 PM ET/1:05 PT
By this point in the season the Cardinals are likely to have nothing to play for while the 49ers might still need a push for a top seed or maybe even the division.
If Seattle is nipping at their heels, sweeping both non-Seahawks teams will be imperative.
49ers' W
Record: 11-3
Week 16: Monday, December 25, vs Baltimore, 8:15 PM ET/5:15 PM PT
The Lamar Jackson Saga worked out for the Ravens’ quarterback and so Baltimore is primed for a run at a very loaded AFC.
Jackson isn’t just back, his quiver is full of weapons to throw to and that add to the potency of the running game with newly signed wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr joining Rashod Bateman, tight end Mark Andrews, and fellow new additions in rookie Zay Flowers and free agent pickup Nelson Agholor to give Jackson his best set of pass catchers he’s had since joining the league.
Add to that group the presence of running back JK Dobbins and the threat of Jackson himself as a ball carrier and you’ve got the makings of quite a potent offense.
The defense, while not at the level of top Ravens’ defenses of the past, still has good pieces with cornerback Marlon Humphrey and linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen manning their positions.
The benefit of this one is it’s a 49ers home game, but the matchup against Jackson is the type of quarterback the Niners’ defense has struggled with in the past. It could be close, but the 49ers might see the loss in this one.
49ers' L
Record: 11-4
Week 17: Sunday, December 31, at Washington, 1:00 PM ET/10 AM PT
The Commanders may prove to be less of a dumpster fire of an organization once Dan Snyder is out the door, but at this point, the team doesn’t track to be very good and is looking at another last-place finish in a hotly contested NFC East.
This happens when you don’t try to improve your offense by upgrading at the sport’s most important position.
Head coach Ron Rivera seems content to run with Sam Howell as the starter, although he hasn’t truly confirmed what the plan is there. The team did add Jacoby Brissett this offseason as well and Jake Fromm is also there, but in spite of having a solid set of offensive weapons such as wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel and running backs Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson, the lack of a starting caliber QB that moves the needle makes this a game the 49ers should win running away.
49ers' W
Record: 12-4
Week 18: Saturday or Sunday, January 6/7, vs Rams, Time TBD
The 49ers may need this one, but either way, I expect they'll want to finish off the season with yet another regular season sweep of Sean McVay's team.
And with that, the 49ers should put themselves in a good position to win the NFC West and be fighting for the top seed in the NFC playoffs (although losing to the Eagles may not help that cause).
It should without a doubt be another season for the 49ers are in contention for a Super Bowl title.