SI’S 2019
PREDICTION
10 – 6
@ TB
SEP T. 15
@ CIN
SEP T. 22
VS. PIT
SEP T. 2 9
BYE
OC T. 7
VS. CLE
OC T. 1 3
@ LAR
OC T. 2 0
@ WAS
OC T. 2 7
VS. CAR
OC T. 31
@ ARI
NOV. 11
VS. SEA
NOV. 17
VS. ARI
NOV. 24
VS. GB
DEC. 1
@ BAL
DEC. 8
@ NO
DEC. 15
VS. AT L
DEC. 22
(Flex)
VS. LAR
DEC. 29
@ SEA
The Niners would have broken out in 2018 if not for injuries. With better health—
and there are already concerns on the D-line—they’re primed for a playoff run.
97
× THE OFFENSE SIZZLES. Few teams have
personnel that fit their scheme better,
starting with QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who
has the twitchy release to make every in-
side throw. His reads are mostly defined
because coach Kyle Shanahan’s system is
predicated heavily on build-
ing passes off the threat of
the run, and this goes well
beyond San Francisco’s
fantastic outside-zone play-
action. Shanahan plays with
two backs more than any
schemer, by a wide margin,
which is why his team in
each of the last three years
has signed a pricey free-
agent back: Kyle Juszczyk,
Jerick McKinnon and, this
year, Tevin Coleman. With
two backs in, the Niners
compel defenses to prepare for more run
in coverages. Shanahan exploits the sud-
denly predictable coverages through route
combinations or mismatch-making forma-
tion wrinkles.
×GEORGE KIT TLE KEEPS IT UP. He may
not top his tight-end-record 1,377 yards
from last year, but Kittle , the 2017 fifth-
round pick, again stars in a system that
makes great use of “flood” concepts, in
which three routes—one deep, one interme-
diate and one short—attack the same side of
the field. On such plays the ball very often
finds the intermediate receiver: Kittle.
×THE PASS DEFENSE SOLIDIFIES. That
is, as long as ends Nick Bosa (a first-round
pick from Ohio State) and ex-Chief Dee
Ford are healthy. (Both had notable inju-
ries in training camp.) The 49ers invested
in Bosa and Ford because their scheme’s
Cover 3 foundation requires pressure up
front to work. Last year they generated
barely any, especially off the edges. The
team was also plagued by
injuries in the secondary,
surrendering 35 touch-
down passes, second-most
in the league, and forced
just seven turnovers, four
fewer than the NFL’s previ-
ous all-time low. Flanking
tackle DeForest Buckner
with premium edge rush-
ers has a multplier effect,
covering for a still-flawed
(though improving) sec-
ondary. If the 49ers can
apply pressure, their de-
fense will be in the top 10.
× THE RUN D ALSO COMES ALONG. Stacked
behind the talented D-line is a stalwart
linebacker tandem: sensational but un-
heralded 2018 third-rounder Fred Warner,
who plays with the poise of a 10-year vet-
eran, and productive former Buccaneer
Kwon Alexander, who also boosts the
nickel coverage.
WHAT LIES AHEAD
W
ea
kn
es
s
QB
15
RB
7
WR-TE
18
OL
17
FRONT 7
10
DB
31
MIC
HA
EL^
ZAG
ARI
S/S
AN
FR
AN
CIS
CO^
49 E
RS/
GET
TY^
IMA
GES
(K
ITT
LE)
;^ ST
ACY
RE
VER
E/G
ET
TY^
IMA
GES
SAN
FRANCISCO
