Now at week 7 in the San Francisco 49ers' current annual battle for their sixth Lombardi Trophy, fans can expect to start getting some clarity as to just where the team sits relative to fulfilling that quest. With a few nice wins and the same number of ugly losses, the 49ers are a team trying to get back to their former identity as a dream wrecker for other fan bases—a team known for imposing embarrassing losses, ending playoff aspirations, prompting coach firings around the NFL, and playing weekly bully ball.
The 49ers have had their moments this season, of course, but in many ways haven't much resembled that notorious squad of the past so far this year. That can change suddenly, and there are several reasons why that pivotal moment of transformation might be approaching sooner than people think. It's hard to say whether Kyle Shanahan's astrological charts would agree, but some important factors could signal the 49ers' stars are about to realign.
The Kansas City Chiefs
It may seem odd to consider the undefeated Chiefs as an asset in righting the 49ers' ship, but the idea has some merit. Despite their 5-0 record, the Chiefs haven't beaten anyone soundly (carrying a slim 5-point average win margin) excluding the Monday Night Football slap fest against the hapless New Orleans Saints, where the Chiefs won by 13. Sunday's matchup will be with a 49ers' squad that hasn't been dominated by another team in well over a year and has two seasons' worth of hefty offensive production under 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
Sunday's game will be in San Francisco and even without any official quest to avenge two Super Bowl losses, the 49ers players have extra at-home motivation to thump the Chiefs, if for no other reason than they are tired of the Kansas City domination narrative. The Chiefs are banged up on offense, which at the very least diminishes Mahomes' ability to produce game magic, even if it's marginally less. Putting another win on the board against the defending world champions would be the 49ers' first back-to-back wins this year, a huge confidence booster heading toward the second half of the season.
The Comeback Kids
While key injuries have hampered them in the early part of the season, the 49ers could look much healthier coming off their Week 9 bye. Premier running back Christian McCaffrey's Achilles tendonitis has seen some marked improvement according to the team, and he could be activated as early as the 49ers' November 10 road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While 49ers' running back Jordan Mason has stepped up greatly in McCaffrey's absence, there's a dynamic element to the latter player's game that is virtually impossible for opposing teams to defend, and that has proven to be the difference in the 49ers' three losses this season.
With linebacker Dre Greenlaw potentially coming back with or soon after McCaffrey, that return of two key starters could provide a powerful infusion of positive energy moving into late Fall. Greenlaw's absence may have been even more keenly felt than McCaffrey's, where the 49ers' defense has struggled to cover receivers at the second level all year, leaving Fred Warner to assume nearly all responsibility for capable linebacker play.
Another huge benefit could be the season debut of 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who has now fully recovered from a gunshot wound he suffered earlier this summer. Pearsall will step into a receiving corps that is temporarily missing big-play wideout Jauan Jennings and has seen diminished pass-catching activity from starting receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Beyond the addition of a healthy body, Pearsall's return after a near-life-ending assault could prove a massive psychological and emotional lift for the team.
Fresh Faces
With the NFL trading deadline just a few weeks away, it seems probable that the 49ers, a team with immediate salary cap space, could turn the volume up on their play with the addition of an upper-tier player or two. It's unlikely a beneficial trade for an offensive lineman would happen mid-season, and the 49ers are otherwise in good roster shape on offense. But running backs are traditionally an easy grab at this time of year, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the 49ers make a move in that direction. One particularly enticing option would be a trade for the Carolina Panthers' Miles Sanders, who would be a nice veteran pickup and yet another capable weapon for Purdy working out of the 49ers' backfield.
Aside from shoring up the 49ers' running back room, some incoming defensive line help seems imminent, and it could happen before the team enters the bye. Las Vegas Raiders' defensive end Maxx Crosby has been mentioned in the pre-deadline rumor mill as a 49ers trade target, though the speculation on that move seems overly hopeful. A more likely target could be Za'Darius Smith, a very capable veteran defensive end who is currently stuck aboard the Cleveland Browns' 2024 boat cruise to nowhere. Lifting Smith from that purgatory could be a huge win for both Smith and the 49ers, and he could be had at about half the cost of a Crosby acquisition.
Purdy's Progression
Brock Purdy had an MVP-level season last year, and expecting even more progression was discounted as a stretch by the football media heading into 2024. But Purdy has largely silenced critics by building upon his first two seasons of success and showing remarkable game-handling skills, both physically and mentally, over the first six games of this season. There isn't any situation, it seems, that can throw Purdy off his game, and he's simply not had the mental lapses common to quarterbacks in their first few seasons of starting play. Purdy is special, and his assets as a quarterback that no opposing teams can consistently restrain cannot be overvalued. Provided he can stay healthy, Purdy will continue to be the hook that snags 49er wins, and his capacity in that regard will only get more reliable.
Home Sweet Home
Getting right after a so-so start isn't easy, but it's certainly easier at home, and that's just what the 49ers have for the next four weeks. By the time the 49ers suit up for their post-bye game in Tampa Bay, they will have effectively spent over a month without airplanes and hotel beds. That's a clear advantage to putting the team back on track. Kansas City is a good road team, but they aren't as magical traveling as they generally are in their own house. The 49ers' other pre-bye opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, has a multiple-season history of getting thumped in Santa Clara, and their chances this year don't look much improved. Catching these two teams in front of The Faithful rather than in Missouri or Texas seems like a legitimate bump for the team to find their groove.
The 49ers haven't always been the beneficiary of a well-timed bye week, but this year might prove to be the best scenario in a long while. With some nagging injuries peppering the roster—to Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, Jauan Jennings, and Jake Moody most prominently—the upcoming bye following the team's home games against the Chiefs and Cowboys could prove to be just the healing period the doctor ordered. And with a 5-3 record (or even at a 4-4 mark) it sets up the 49ers well for a healthy and effective run toward the post-season.
Any number of variables and other unforeseen circumstances can play a part every week of the season, and there's no predicting exactly when the 49ers' fortunes might improve. But last week's win against division rival Seattle Seahawks was a great start to shifting into winning gear and with what the landscape looks like beginning this weekend against the Chiefs, the 49ers may be about to finally get back to disappointing foreign fan bases and threatening the careers of opposing coaches as a way of life. And a rumbling half-season of San Francisco bully ball could be a great way to make a run at that sixth Lombardi.
- Don Atkinson
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Written by:Don Atkinson is a writer and sports analyst for Reach North Media and The Morning Line.
