Apparently, playing the San Francisco 49ers takes a toll on an opponent. NFL teams are 0-14 in the week immediately following a game against head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad and coordinator DeMeco Ryans' top-ranked defense.
What about the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Tennessee Titans in overtime after beating the 49ers in Week 7? That game came two weeks after they visited Levi's Stadium.
"They had a bye week the week after they played us," Shanahan said earlier this month, well aware of the streak.
That streak reached 14 games with the Washington Commanders, the 49ers' Week 16 opponent, losing to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. Next up will be the Las Vegas Raiders, who will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18.
"I guess we're beating them up good," linebacker Fred Warner said of the streak. "This defense is really fun to be a part of because we just have fun. It's so easy to go into work every day and just give it your all."
No team has gone an entire season watching its opponents go winless in the week immediately following its matchups. Should the Raiders fall the Chiefs in their regular-season finale, the 49ers will become the first team to accomplish that feat.
"It could be a coincidence, but we like to think not, so we'll take it that way," Shanahan said.
Below is a list of the results of teams in the week following a game against the 49ers:
- Week 2: Bears, L at Packers, 27-10
- Week 3: Seahawks, L vs. Falcons, 27-23
- Week 4: Broncos, L at Raiders, 32-23
- Week 5: Rams, L vs. Dallas, 22-10
- Week 6: Panthers, L at Rams, 24-10
- Week 7: Falcons, L at Bengals, 35-17
- Week 9: Rams, L at Buccaneers, 16-13
- Week 11: Chargers, L vs. Chiefs, 30-27
- Week 12: Cardinals, L vs. Chargers, 25-24
- Week 13: Saints, L at Buccaneers, 17-16
- Week 14: Dolphins, L at Chargers, 23-17
- Week 15: Buccaneers, L vs. Bengals, 34-23
- Week 16: Seahawks, L at Chiefs, 24-10
- Week 17: Commanders, L vs. Browns, 24-10