49ers Should Thank the NFL Schedule Makers
One thing automatically stands out when looking at the San Francisco 49ers' 2020 schedule: They have five prime-time games.
Quite the compliment from the NFL. The league basically has told the 49ers they matter. They are must watch football. Shouldn't come as a shock, considering they went to the Super Bowl.
The 49ers' five prime-time games are not the only thing that stands out, though. If you go deep into their schedule, you see it's favorable.
I know that's easy to say in May with the season four months away. But the schedule really doesn't have any uphill battles. There isn't a spot that makes me think, "They got screwed". Even their most difficult stretch of games from Weeks 6-10 will not be too much to handle.
With all things considered, the 49ers should thank the NFL schedule makers.
Compared to last season's schedule, this upcoming one already is an improvement, especially when it comes to the travel. The 49ers are among the teams that will fly the most miles next season.
But do not get it twisted. The extra distance mainly is due to the fact that the Niners will face the AFC East. So, of course they will fly lots of miles. It's not like last season, when the 49ers had multiple east coast trips.
Once the 49ers take care of their New York trip during Weeks 2 and 3 next season -- and they assuredly will stay out there -- they essentially will have wrapped up most of their travel. They also won't have to worry about a 10:00 a.m. body-clock start time, which is the hardest thing about cross-country road games.
The 49ers will play their Thursday Night game at Levi's Stadium. Traveling for those games almost always puts a strain on the visiting team. Meaning the 49ers lucked out.
Smooth sailing as they look to return to the Super Bowl.
