Getty George Kittle celebrates a touchdown during the NFC title game on Sunday, January 30.
The San Francisco 49ers went from 3-5 and facing an early offseason to extending their season into the NFC championship game, before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams.
With the 49ers coming in as the runner-up in the conference that produced this season’s Vince Lombardi Trophy holders, this means that S.F. will be a heavy favorite to snatch the title from their NFC West rival, right?
Well, on Monday, February 14 — also known as the day after the Super Bowl — the odds for the 49ers to capture the 2023 title down in Glendale, Arizona was revealed.
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49ers Are Facing Top 10 Odds
Here it is, via KNBR 680 AM and 104.3 FM and Caesar’s Sportsbook:
The 49ers are 5th in Super Bowl LVII odds.
Do you agree with Caesar?
The 49ers are facing 14-1 odds to make it to Super Bowl 57 in the desert. That places them behind the two Sunday Super Bowl representatives the Cincinnati Bengals (12-1) and the Rams (10-1). And the Rams were given the best odds to carry the NFC in next season’s Super Bowl.
But coming in with the second-best and best odds of winning it all? The two teams that delivered one of the better playoff performances of this past season the Buffalo Bills and the Super Bowl winning favorite according to the Vegas betting site the Chiefs.
That means a Chiefs-Rams Super Bowl pairing is the early pick by the oddsmakers.
NFL Analyst Shares Why You Should Place Money on the 49ers
Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports is one believer in fans opening up their wallet and betting on the 49ers’ making a run at the title.
Here’s why: Dajani believes that Kyle Shanahan watching his friend but division rival Sean McVay win the title should ignite him. Here’s what Dajani wrote in his Monday article:
“It’s time for Kyle Shanahan to win a Super Bowl after watching his buddy Sean McVay get one. The 49ers are tied with the AFC champion Bengals in having the fourth-highest odds to win the Super Bowl, but +1400 is juicy no matter where it ranks. The 49ers made it to the NFC Championship game this year and blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. However, they will have a new quarterback in 2022, which means they will have new hope.”
From there, Dajani continued on why the 49ers’ title hopes should increase as they move toward Trey Lance behind center:
“No disrespect to Jimmy Garoppolo, but he wasn’t shouldering the load on offense. Everyone understood that the 49ers’ plan for victory included running the ball, playing great defense and special teams and then Garoppolo just not turning the ball over. Trey Lance will be the quarterback in 2022, and if he’s even a small upgrade, the 49ers are going to have a chance to compete for the Super Bowl.”
Dajani also included the Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers as teams he’s putting his money on for the 2022 season.
Should 49er Fans Feel Hopeful of a Sixth Lombardi Trophy?
There should be faith from the 49ers faithful for next fall.
The 49ers, again, went from .sub .500 in the middle of the year to ending the year winning going 9-3. And along the way, the ‘Niners topped the Super Bowl champions twice (including the season finale to clinch a playoff berth), a Dallas Cowboys team with Super Bowl hype and the conference’s top seed the Green Bay Packers. This means there’s momentum for next season.
Sure, there’ll be a new signal-caller. But Lance will be surrounded by All-Pro and do-everything dynamo Deebo Samuel, a rejuvenated Brandon Aiyuk, perennial Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle, dominating left tackle Trent Williams as the top line of protection and a surprise star and steal from the 2021 NFL Draft in Elijah Mitchell.
Then there’s that defense — featuring sack artist Nick Bosa and Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Warner. Plus a potential emerging lockdown cornerback in Ambry Thomas. It also helps rising head coaching candidate DeMeco Ryans is staying put.
There’s still areas to address, though. Particularly which of the 29 free agents they can aim to keep even at a lesser value (key interior defenders Arden Key and D.J. Jones are two notable names). One more thing: Can the 49ers avoid a repeat of a fall off after making a run? A la going from NFC champs in the 2019 season to an injury-riddled 6-10 season the following year?
But the Rams are facing their own questions — like the future of Odell Beckham, Von Miller and now Aaron Donald with his rumored retirement talks. And that gives the ‘Niners leverage in liking their title-winning odds early.