49ers 2021 season preview: 3 bold predictions ahead of the new campaign
Bold predictions for the 49ers
After getting to the Superbowl in 2019-20, the 49ers crashed back down into the San Francisco bay as injuries destroyed their 2020 season. The 49ers have an insatiable hunger to correct the wrongs from 2020.
The 49ers roster is still talented, and their head coach is one of the best in the business. Yes, the 49ers play in a brutal division. The Rams, Seahawks, and Cardinals will make life difficult for the 49ers. Nonetheless, after getting the key players healthy, the 49ers have high expectations from their 2021 NFL season.
#1 - Nick Bosa wins the DPOY award
No pass rusher is more brutal than Nick Bosa. His speed and physicality make him one of the most challenging players to stop in the NFL. Bosa was injured last September against the Jets. He missed the rest of the season with an ACL injury.
The generational defensive end is coming back to make up for the lost time. In 2019, a healthy Bosa turbocharged the 49ers' defense. The 49ers Gold Rush terrorized opposing offenses, and Bosa was the leading man.
Nick Bosa is the ace card for the 49ers. Bosa can bull-rush opponents on the inside. He can burst past tackles on the outside, and he finishes with devastating power. With the Eagles, Bengals, Texans, Jaguars, and Bears on schedule, Bosa could feast against weak offensive lines.
#2 - Trey Lance doesn't start a game
Whenever a team trades up and drafts a quarterback, they immediately place an expiration date on the incumbent quarterback. The 49ers did that by selecting Trey Lance with the third overall pick.
However, the only time the oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo played an entire season, the 49ers went to the Superbowl. Garoppolo is a competent NFL quarterback. He is also perfect for Kyle Shanahan's hybrid version of the West Coast offense.
Garoppolo is acutely aware that his time playing for the 49ers is limited. But he's a competitor, and he'll want to show the rest of the NFL how good he is. Garoppolo will start every game for the 49ers, irrespective of how hurt he is.
#3 - The 49ers miss out on the playoffs
The NFC West is the toughest division in the NFC. The LA Rams have the best quarterback, the Seahawks are battle-hardened, and the Cardinals are improving. Yes, the 49ers suffered some debilitating injuries, but the division is more demanding in 2021.
The Rams have improved since 2019. The Seahawks have a dangerous receiving corps and a better quarterback than the 49ers. The depth of the NFC West is staggering. And it will hurt the 49ers. The NFC South and North look easy to predict; the East could send two teams to the playoffs. Therefore, the 49ers could get squeezed out.
In tight divisional games, players like Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson have ice in their veins. The competition in the NFC West is higher than ever, and the 49ers mightn't climb to the required standard.