I think it's safe to say the majority of people perceive the 49ers as the best team in the NFC West, and most people still think the 49ers will win the NFC West. I'm with that majority of people, especially because I think percentages only go so far.

As posted by Stephen Oh, AccuScore supports our perception the 49ers will win the division despite the 0-2 start.

If you don't wish to view that article, I will post the material relevant to the 49ers behind the jump.

A little food for thought to those who are still doubtful: The 2008 Chargers started 0-2, but won 2 of their next 3 and stumbled their way to a division title at a meager 8-8. They even upset the Colts on Wildcard weekend to advance to play the Steelers in the Divisional round. This 49ers team, helped by inferior division rivals and superior talent, are likely to follow in those footsteps.

I also think this 49ers team may end up with a better record than the 2008 Chargers considering the 49ers 2010 schedule. After the crucially important next 3 games (@KC, @ Atl, Vs. Phi), if they manage that same 2 out of 3 as the '08 Chargers (I believe they will), the next 6 games should bode well for a lengthy winning streak. Oak, Car, Den, Stl, TB, and Ari are all poor or mediocre teams at best. The 49ers could coast through that section of the schedule 5-1, or even 6-0 if they get hot.  7-4 or 6-5 going into the GB game will suffice within this division, especially considering they finish the schedule Vs Sea, @ SD, @ Stl, and Vs. Ari, which are all very winnable games.

But if the 49ers lose at KC, we suddenly have big problems.. especially considering the 49ers are a far, far more talented team than the Chiefs. However, I don't anticipate a loss. In fact, I think the 49ers are going to make a statement and truly man-handle the Chiefs.

The following material written by Stephen Oh, AccuScore.com:

"How did the 49ers lose, start 0-2 and still improve their playoff chances by nearly 17 points? They had a "good" loss in Week 2 while the Seahawks, Cardinals and Rams all suffered bad ones. All of the NFC West teams are averaging under eight wins per simulation. The 49ers are down only 0-1 in their division, QB Alex Smith was impressive in a loss and the defense looked great against the Saints. AccuScore says future on-field performance will help San Francisco ultimately take the division, despite the 0-2 start. Seattle’s defense was destroyed by Denver and the offense is still struggling with turnovers. Arizona is not expected to get the job done with Kurt Warner(notes) dancing and not playing football."