NFL Media's Brian Baldinger and Bucky Brooks don't see eye to eye when predicting the San Francisco 49ers' record in 2023. Baldy has Kyle Shanahan's team racking up two more losses than Brooks is willing to project.
Baldinger has the 49ers going 12-5 during the upcoming season. So where did the two analysts disagree? Brooks could not believe his colleague had San Francisco falling to the Washington Commanders in Week 17.
"It's an East Coast game, Bucky," Baldinger explained on NFL Network's Total Access. "Their biorhythms are off, but I think they finish with a win [against the Los Angeles Rams] and with a 12-5 record. I don't know if that's a No. 1 seed or not, but it's a high seed. They'll be ready for the playoffs."
For his own prediction, Brooks changed the game against Washington to a 49ers win.
"I can't go with you on that one," Brooks said. "I can't give you the Commanders game."
Brooks also changed a loss against the Cleveland Browns to a win.
"I think they go 14-3," Brooks added.
San Francisco is expected again to boast one of the league's top defenses. The unit finished as the best in the NFL in 2022 and poached a top defender from an NFC competitor, adding former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. He joins a front that already included the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, and Arik Armstead.
As is often the case, offseason uncertainty surrounds the quarterback position. Brock Purdy was a rookie sensation last season, guiding the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game before suffering a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. He underwent surgery on March 10 and will miss most—if not all—of the offseason. Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will compete to start Week 1 in case Purdy isn't medically cleared by then.
Below is a rundown of Baldinger's and Brooks' 2023 game-by-game predictions for the 49ers.
| Baldinger | Brooks | |
| at Steelers | L | L |
| at Rams | W | W |
| Giants | W | W |
| Cardinals | W | W |
| Cowboys | W | W |
| at Browns | L | W |
| at Vikings | W | W |
| Bengals | W | W |
| at Jaguars | W | W |
| Buccaneers | W | W |
| at Seahawks | W | W |
| at Eagles | L | L |
| Seahawks | L | L |
| at Cardinals | W | W |
| Ravens | W | W |
| at Commanders | L | W |
| Rams | W | W |
| Record | 12-5 | 14-3 |
