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The San Francisco 49ers 2020 NFL regular season schedule it set!
While we don’t know if the NFL will be able to stick to its original plans due to the COVID-19 outbreak, as of now, the Niners are scheduled to play five night games.
Here are the matchups that are currently set to be featured on primetime:
Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sunday Night Football, Oct. 4, 5:20 P.M. PT (NBC)
Week 6: vs. Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football, October 18, 5:20 P.M. PT (NBC)
Week 9: vs. Green Bay Packers on November 5, Thursday Night Football 5:20 P.M. PT (FOX)
Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, December 7, 5:15 p.m. PT (ESPN)
Week 15: @ Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, December 20, 5:20 p.m. PT (SNF)
It is no surprise to see the 49ers get the max amount of primetime games. The 2019 Week 17 San Francisco - Seattle matchup for the NFC West title was the highest rated Sunday Night Football game of all time.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan joined Colleen Wolfe of the NFL Network after the schedule was released.
Wolfe asked Lynch how he feels about about getting five games under the lights, with four of them being at home:
“Our fans are tremendous, The Faithful, and our guys love playing in front of the world. We’ll have that opportunity, ample time, to also be able to do that at home, and that’s always fun.”
I love watching the 49ers play in primetime, especially with the team returning to the NFL’s upper echelon.
Looking at the list above, there is one game that stands out to me most: Week 15 in Dallas. There is something special about the rivalry that still lingers today from their legendary battles in the 90s.
The Cowboys are getting a lot of hype going into 2020 and with the Niners primed for another Super Bowl run, the two teams could be sitting near the top of the NFC going into the game. The last time San Francisco and Dallas qualified for the playoffs in the same season was way in the 1998 season.
The Philly and Buffalo games should be fun with the 49ers not playing either team every year. While the Green Bay matchup should be intriguing, I am expecting San Francisco to smack the Packers around again after seeing how their defense manhandled the Green Bay offense.
I am least excited by the Week 6 SNF game against the Rams, who are the worst team in a strong NFC West division. Although the geographical rivalry will always matter, L.A. isn’t a threat to the Niners this season.
How would you rank the primetime games from one through five?
“If it’s after Week 4, who knows what team you’re going to have.”
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) May 8, 2020
HC Kyle Shanahan on how he looks at the @49ers upcoming schedule
: 2020 NFL Schedule Release live now on NFL Network
: https://t.co/5FJW2GVBN5 pic.twitter.com/FA4jMC7bkE
Onto some more links:
After winning the NFC West last season, the Niners will be playing a first place schedule for the first time since the 2013. This means San Francisco has the toughest strength of schedule in the NFC going into the 2020 season. (NBC Bay Area)
We all started making our week-to-week predictions once we saw the official schedule. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner shared his thoughts on how the 2020 season will shake out for the 49ers, and he has them regressing a bit from their 13-3 mark last year.
Running back Jerick McKinnon was signed to be a big part of the 49ers plans going into the 2018 season. After missing the last two years dealing with knee problems, Jet is gearing up to finally make his Niner debut. McKinnon talked with The Athletic’s Matt Barrows about his plans to work with a future Hall of Famer to prepare for 2020.
Most media members rated the 49ers draft as a success, but what do rival NFL coaches and executives think? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spoke to several NFL staffers about the biggest surprises and steals from the draft, including one who gave his thoughts on the moves Lynch made.
30-year-old wide receiver Travis Benjamin was signed by San Francisco as a depth piece in the offseason. Even with the talented young pass catchers in the receiving group, Benjamin is planning on making the roster in 2020. (Sac Bee)