It's been just over twelve hours since the NFL released the 2011 regular season schedule and our beloved 49ers 2011 schedule features a whole host of interesting matchups with some intriguing possibilities. This is the hardest year in a while to even attempt to make predictions given the 49ers lack of quarterback. Of course, there's no real reason for that to stop me from making wildly early predictions that have little to no basis in logic or fact. Instead, it's a fun exercise where I predict playoff glory for the 49ers!
This year's schedule (posted after the jump with predictions) is particularly interesting because they close the season with what has to be considered a tough stretch run. Things haven't been easy in past stretch runs, although in the recent past, the stretch run of the season involved a lot of meaningless football. However, if the 49ers can hang close early in the season, it could be a dog-fight to wrap up the season.
The 49ers final five games include four divisional games, with their final seven games including five divisional games. Even more difficult is the fact that the three division games in four weeks to close out the season are all on the road. Are you kidding me? Good teams learn to win on the road, so one can only complain so much. However, that doesn't make the road to a potential playoff berth any easier.
I realize my predictions are fairly useless here (and really in general) and will still be held against me in ten months, but I'll make this first round of predictions anyway. Much as I try to do with at least one NCAA tourney bracket, I just went with my gut on these picks. A glance at the game and my first thought. That run through netted a record of 11-5. The team may not have their 2011 starting quarterback under contract (no offense to David Carr), but that won't stop me from this prediction.
So am I nuts with these predictions, or is there some sense of logic to this? As we move into the post-draft period, I'll go into more detail about each game and why I think a win or loss is possible/likely.
Week 1: vs Seattle Seahawks - WIN
Week 2: vs. Dallas Cowboys - WIN
Week 3: @ Cincinnati Bengals - WIN
Week 4: @ Philadelphia Eagles - LOSS
Week 5: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WIN
Week 6: @ Detroit Lions - WIN
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns - WIN
Week 9: @ Washington Redskins - WIN
Week 10: vs. New York Giants - LOSS
Week 11: vs. Arizona Cardinals - WIN
Week 12: @ Baltimore Ravens - LOSS
Week 13: vs. St. Louis Rams - WIN
Week 14: @ Arizona Cardinals - WIN
Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - LOSS
Week 16: @ Seattle Seahawks - LOSS
Week 17: @ St. Louis Rams - WIN