Training camp is three weeks away, and media are working to get in final predictions before roster changes and injuries start to swing things. NFL Network analysts David Carr and Michael Robinson recently split the San Francisco 49ers schedule in half and each offered up eight predictions.
Carr took the first half of the schedule, which means he did not get to offer a prediction for when the 49ers take on his brother and the Oakland Raiders. Given that he ranked David Carr fourth on a list of all NFL quarterbacks, pardon me for assuming he would probably have predicted a Raiders win over the 49ers.
The former NFL quarterback has the 49ers struggling out of the box, losing their first four games. That first quarter of the season is the toughest stretch, so it’s not entirely out of the realm of the possible that the 49ers lose all four games. They travel to Minnesota, Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers, and host the Detroit Lions. All four games are winnable, but there are plenty of arguments to be made as to why the 49ers could lose each of them. I don’t think we see an 0-4 start, but I won’t say never.
Carr follows up with the 49ers winning four straight games. Again, all four are winnable, but I’m also not exactly holding my breath on that Packers game in Week 6. Coming out of the first half of the schedule, Carr has the 49ers sitting at 4-4. By comparison, in my immediate post-schedule release predictions, I went with a 5-3 mark. I had the 49ers going 3-1 in the first four games, and then 2-2 in the second set.
Here’s David Carr’s rundown of the first eight games.
@ Vikings - L
vs. Lions - L
@ Chiefs - L
@ Chargers - L
vs. Cardinals - W
@ Packers - W
vs. Rams - W
@ Cardinals - W
Former 49ers and Seahawks running back Michael Robinson handled the second half of the 49ers schedule. He gave the 49ers a win over the Raiders and Giants, which would put them on a six-game win streak when combined with Carr’s predictions.
The most interesting part of Robinson’s predictions? He has the 49ers sweeping their head-to-head series with the Seahawks. Again, not a shocking prediction, but a bit unexpected. This could be the year the 49ers finally move back ahead of Seattle, but winning at CenturyLink Field is no small task.
Back in April, I had the 49ers going 5-3 on the back half of their schedule with losses to the Bucs, Seahawks, and Rams. Robinson initially had the 49ers losing to the Rams, but based on how he described it, he would seem to have it as a toss-up. Here are Robinson’s eight picks.
vs. Raiders - W
vs. Giants - W
@ Buccaneers - L
@ Seahawks - W
vs. Broncos - L
vs. Seahawks - W
vs. Bears - W
@Rams - L (potential W)