Improving on a 13-3 season is a difficult task for any NFL team, including the San Francisco 49ers. While the 49ers are no stranger to sustained success in the league, just winning the division in back-to-back seasons is a serious accomplishment.
This is especially true for San Francisco, as the NFC West looks to be one of the NFL’s best divisions again in 2020, as the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals will all field competitive teams.
Things don’t get much easier outside of the division for the 49ers, and the stretch from Week 6 to Week 10 was immediately noteworthy when the schedule was released. That being said, here are our early win-loss predictions for San Francisco in 2020.
Week 1: Arizona Cardinals
This will be a fun one. The arrival of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins instantly made the Arizona Cardinals offense more lethal, and, after Arizona QB Kyler Murray’s flashes of brilliance in his rookie year, they ought to be an explosive connection.
However, the 49ers get to catch them very early in a season that will already be affected by a unique offseason. On top of that, the 49ers’ defense best strength is pressuring and attacking quarterbacks, averaging three sacks a game in 2019 as San Francisco tied-for-fourth for the most sacks in the league.
The hiccup that could happen is the 49ers’ offense struggling early. They don’t want this to be a close game towards the end, so they’ll hope for QB Jimmy Garoppolo to fire often and early.
Prediction: Win, 1-0
Week 2: @New York Jets
Even if the 49ers end up regressing in 2020, they should likely win this game based on comparing one roster to the other.
However, the New York Jets did quietly go 6-2 in the back-half of last season and will feel good about where they’re at. Jets QB Sam Darnold is improving and becoming smarter with the football, but it seems unlikely the New York offense will have enough horsepower to overcome the San Francisco defense.
Prediction: Win, 2-0
Week 3: @New York Giants
The second of the 49ers’ back-to-back games at MetLife Stadium could be similarly tricky for San Francisco. A lot of the difficulty of this game hangs on if Giants RB Saquon Barkley is healthy, and if QB Daniel Jones is improving after his rookie season.
But even with a solid New York offense, the Giants didn’t improve much on a defense that allowed 28.2 points per game last season. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan ought to be able to put together a winning offensive plan.
Prediction: Win, 3-0
Week 4: Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles share a similar identity to the 49ers, in the fact that the defense remains talented and the offense has a list of weapons that most teams wouldn’t mind having.
Additions like cornerback Darius Slay and former 49er WR Marquise Goodwin in the offseason add valuable pieces to the core of a team that won the Super Bowl not that long ago. If Eagles QB Carson Wentz can get closer to his pre-injury play in 2017, they’ll be dangerous.
But not dangerous enough to beat the 49ers on the road in a primetime Sunday Night Football matchup.
Prediction: Win, 4-0
Week 5: Miami Dolphins
There’s a lot to like about the Miami Dolphins. Anytime a team brings in a wave of young talent, spearheaded by QB Tua Tagovailoa, the possibilities are exciting.
But, in reality, this is one of the longest road trips Miami will take all season and will be a difficult one for a rookie QB and a team still putting together its identity.
Prediction: Win, 5-0
Week 6: Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a conundrum. They have immense talent all across the team, but it seems like they’re only regressing since their recent Super Bowl appearance as now-Atlanta Falcon RB Todd Gurley’s departure now leaves QB Jared Goff and WRs Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp as the only notable weapons.
The Rams have the potential for a playoff season, but from the current perspective, they’re a team that is worse than San Francisco in almost every area.
Prediction: Win, 6-0
Week 7: @New England Patriots
No disrespect to New England Patriots QB Jarett Stidham, but it seems like New England is looking toward the draft next year as the heir-apparent to legendary QB Tom Brady.
Expect a Bill Belichick-coached team to put a fight, especially at Gillette Stadium, but even after a long road trip, this is one the 49ers should be heavily favored in.
Prediction: Win, 7-0
Week 8: @Seattle Seahawks
This is where things get tough. After coming back from Foxborough, the 49ers will have to travel to Seattle to take on a Seahawks team that should have a record close to San Francisco’s, maybe with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings or Dallas Cowboys.
With Century Link Field possibly not having fans in attendance, this could be less threatening than previous years, but the travel, schedule, and quality of Seattle will be an extremely tough ask of the 49ers.
Prediction: Loss, 7-1
Week 9: Green Bay Packers
A common thought around the NFL is that Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will come out with a vengeance, especially against San Francisco after losing to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game then having his potential successor Jordan Love drafted by Green Bay in the first round of the NFL Draft.
However, the real reason why the 49ers likely win this game is because the Packers will have to travel to Santa Clara, Florida for a Thursday night game after a three-week stretch against the Vikings and on the road to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans.
Prediction: Win, 8-1
Week 10: @New Orleans Saints
Again, just another really tough opponent. While the 49ers were able to steal a victory in New Orleans last year, this an extremely tough game again.
There’s definitely a scenario where Jimmy G and the 49ers create enough magic to win, but it just seems like too much to ask after the stretch of games to that point.
Prediction: Loss, 8-2
Week 11: BYE
Week 12: @Los Angeles Rams
The Rams get this one at home but do catch the 49ers off of their bye week. And if things don’t go well for the Rams early in the season, this could be a game that San Francisco is favored by a couple of scores.
Prediction: Win, 9-2
Week 13: Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are an interesting entity. They’ve only grown in quality over the past two seasons, and the recent addition of WR Stephon Diggs could bring that offense to the next level.
On top of that, the Bills defense should return to be one of the NFL’s best. This one could be billed as a low-scoring “slobberknocker,” which honestly doesn’t suit the 49ers against a team like Buffalo, even in a Monday night game on the West Coast.
Prediction: Loss, 9-3
Week 14: Washington Redskins
Like Miami, there’s a lot of young talent on the Washington Redskins, but some time and distance between Washington and being a top team in the league.
In what should be a fun game for new 49ers tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco ought to easily take care of this one.
Prediction: Win, 10-3
Week 15: @Dallas Cowboys
Sunday Night football at Jerry World. Besides being a classic matchup between two of the NFL’s most decorated franchises, it will likely also be a game with major playoff implications.
The Cowboys ought to be a lock-in playoff team. The defense has been steadily solid for the past of couple seasons, and with another big offensive addition in WR CeeDee Lamb, this will be a major test for San Francisco.
Prediction: Loss, 10-4
Week 16: @Arizona Cardinals
It was mentioned that catching the Cardinals early would make the game a bit easier for San Francisco. Catching them at the end of the season, in Arizona, will drastically affect the game.
This is the type of scenario in which Murray could win a game by himself, even with the quality of the 49ers defense.
Prediction: Loss, 10-5
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Week 17: Seattle Seahawks
With back-to-back late-season losses, some might think there’s a cause for alarm, but San Francisco ought to be ensured a playoff spot by those losses anyways.
With the desire to get the Seahawks back for the loss earlier in the season and playoff seeding on the line, San Francisco will end the season with a home win and possibly the NFC West title.
Prediction: Win, 11-5
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Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, MT. Follow and reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier.
Win-Loss Predictions for 49ers 2020 Schedule