San Francisco 49ers training camp is in full swing! It’s time for us to look at each opponent and provide a reason for and against the 49ers beating them. We’ve included a poll for the community to vote on whether they expect a win or a loss and will see what kind of prediction this provides at the end.
Week 1 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 2 @ Cincinnati Bengals
Week 3 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 5 vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 6 @ Los Angeles Rams
Week 7 @ Washington
Week 8 vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 9 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 10 vs. Seattle Seahawks
The divisional gauntlet continues into Week 11 with the Arizona Cardinals coming to Levi’s Stadium. You can read our opponent preview to see what the Cardinals have been up to. The jump from Week 9 to Week 11 doesn’t really offer much different, except that the 49ers are on a divisional gauntlet by this point. Many of my concerns from Week 9 remain, but this is a road game for the 49ers.
Reason for: Kyler Murray
At this point, Kyler Murray is either the second coming of Joe Montana, or he’s a college quarterback playing in a college offense that doesn’t work in the NFL. We’ll see by Week 11. Murray could have all the film teams need on him to start the growing pains of playing in the NFL. How he adjusts will be the big X-factor
Or he could be a star in the making. I choose the earlier. At this point it should be pick-city and sack-city with that Cardinals offensive line and things will start breaking down rather quickly for the 49ers. Fumbles, interceptions, and yes, ducks, all of this could benefit the 49ers.
Reason against: It’s the [site-decorum] Cardinals
(copied from Week 9 below, yes, it’s still relevant):
Look, I know the 49ers stunk last year, but I still don’t get how they lost to the Cardinals twice, and I’m guessing the Cardinals don’t know how they won those games either. The 49ers did manage to beat the Seattle Seahawks in a game that was the season highlight for 49ers fans and embarrassment for the Seahawks.
But the Cardinals, the 49ers can’t beat the Cardinals. Every heartbreak occurs in the final minutes. Or a bad snap. Or both. That happens, and we’re left alone, empty, with only a slice of pizza left to devour in our living rooms.
On paper, the Cardinals have a long way to go, and the 49ers should beat them handily. The Cardinals are a divisional opponent, so it’s never that easy. Kyler Murray has also been getting some praise at camp and he either will be surprising teams with his relative inexperience in the league or beginning those rookie QB regressions we all know and love.
The Cardinals have always caused problems for a variety of reasons. I’m not pinning it on anything other than the Cardinals have owned the 49ers for the last two years, and some power may just keep that tradition going.
At least the 49ers got Bosa.