The San Francisco 49ers are in the midst of a rebuilding process, and yet somehow, they have maintained an unexpected streak. The 49ers head into the 2017 season having won their Week 1 game each of the past six years. Football Perspective’s Chase Stuart pointed out that the next best streak is the Denver Broncos at five games.
The 49ers have been pretty awful the past two seasons, beating the Los Angeles Rams last season, and the Minnesota Vikings the season before. They were a 2.5-point underdog to the Rams, and a field goal underdog to the Vikings.
This year, they host the Carolina Panthers to open the season. The 49ers opened as a four-point underdog, and the line has increased to 4.5 points. The Panthers are coming off a 6-10 season, which followed three straight seasons as NFC South division champions. The Panthers win total is set at 8.5, with heavier money coming in on the OVER.
Carolina should see some serious improvement this season, and will give the Atlanta Falcons a run at the top of the division. But will they be ready for Kyle Shanahan’s game plan right out of the gate? That first week is always a tough one to figure out, and really the first few weeks are difficult to assess. Teams are figuring out their identity, and that of their opponents. It’s the best chance for gamblers to get an edge on sports books, who spend those first few weeks figuring out who is going to do what.
Will the 49ers spring the early upset, and continue their win streak?