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Bold Predictions Gone Wrong (and two we got right!)

Not much went right in 2020, including our preseason prognostications

By Rob Guerrera
San Francisco 49ers v Dallas Cowboys Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images

No matter what walk of life you’re in; everybody likes to be right. In a business like this, where the receipts are posted for all the world to see, we especially like to be right. Unfortunately, in sports and life, that is often not the case. However, rather than run from our failures, we’re embracing them. Here, and in today’s Niners Nation Shanaplan Podcast with Kyle Posey and Akash Anavarathan, we’re looking back at where we went wrong with our 2020 Bold Predictions.

The 49ers Cowboys Rivalry Returns in 2020

Oof. Where to begin on this one. Instead of a possible battle for the number one seed between two of the NFL’s most iconic franchises, we saw a skirmish between Nick Mullens and Andy Dalton. To add insult to injury, the NFL flexed the game out of Sunday Night Football and banished it to the anonymity of the 10 AM early games. In their place, the 9-4 Browns met the 5-8 Giants (though New York was in first place in the NFC East at the time). That pretty much tells you all you need to know about how last season went for SF and Big D.

Raheem Mostert Receives MVP Votes

This one looks the worst in hindsight, but remember what Mostert had just done in the playoffs in 2019. Against the Packers in the NFC title game, Mostert ran for the second most yards ever in a postseason game, just 29 yards away from Eric Dickerson’s all-time record. He had clearly established himself as the primary ball carrier in an offense built around the run. Everything was in place for Raheem to have an epic season. Instead, he missed half the year and ran for just 521 yards. Not sure we’ll ever make this prediction about a running back again, considering the Titans’ Derrick Henry ran for the 5th most yards ever in a single season in 2020 and didn’t receive a single MVP vote.

To hear about the rest of our disastrous preseason bold predictions (and two we got right), check out today’s Niners Nation Shanaplan Podcast in the player below or wherever you get your podcasts. Feel free to give us a rating and a five-star review while you’re there.

Other topics in today’s episode

  • Is someone trying to pump up Jimmy Garoppolo’s trade value?
  • The 49ers and Juice are talking, but where will he end up in 2021?

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