Week 1: 49ers Best and Worst Case Scenarios
The 49ers kick off their season on Sept. 12 on the road against the Detroit Lions. After completing a preseason that saw a potent rushing attack, a dominant defense and yes a two quarterback attack, the 49ers have high hopes entering the 2021 season. In this weekly series, I will break down the matchups the 49ers will face and provide my predictions.
Week 1: San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions
Best Case Scenario: The 49ers have powerful offensive and defensive fronts with the potential to overpower the Lions in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
The Lions defensive front will be anchored by Michael Brockers who is recovering from an injury and may be limited Week 1 as he missed the entire preseason. The inexperienced group will depend on two rookies and doesn’t have much depth. They will likely get overpowered and confused by the multiple looks the 49ers will deploy with the outside zone, inside power game and zone read options. The 49ers are positioned to have a huge game on the ground offensively and will likely only throw 15 to 20 passes in this game.
The 49ers defense will have a field day with struggling rookie Penei Sewell. Sewell was likely the most talented offensive lineman in the draft but has struggled through preseason and camp, likely due to rust as he opted out of the 2020 season. The 49ers deepest position on the team is the defensive line which will likely dominate the Lions. Dee Ford and Nick Bosa will give Jared Goff headaches all day and look for a performance reminiscent of the 2020 NFC Championship game against Aaron Rodgers.
Worst Case Scenario: Many 49ers key players will be on a pitch count which will hinder the team from getting in a rhythm and cause them to struggle on both sides of the ball. Trey Lance may be limited or completely ruled out, as he’s recovering from a chipped finger bone on his throwing hand. The offense may become a shell of what’s possible with the two QB system as a result. Starting wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are nursing injuries and, although Samuel played in the preseason finale, he still seems to have lingering hamstring issues entering the season. All Pro left tackle Trent Williams is also nursing a knee injury and may be limited or out for Week 1.
The 49ers defensive line is stacked, however its three best players are returning from injury heading. Nick Bosa, Dee Ford and Javon Kinlaw have been limited this offseason and are all returning from significant injuries which may cause them to be on a pitch count or limited. The 49ers cornerback position is the weakness of the team, if the 49ers are unable to get pressure on the quarterback it could be a long day for the 49ers secondary. Aside from Jason Verett, the 49ers do not have a legitimate starting corner on the roster even with the signing of veteran Josh Norman. This may set the stage for Goff to get into rhythm and have a big day as he is a very streaky quarterback who can throw as well as anyone when he gets warmed up.
Chuy’s Prediction: The 49ers will cruise to victory with a final score of 34-13.
The 49ers will overpower the Lions and completely dominate on both sides of the ball. A long kick or punt return will give the Lions good field position in which they will score a touchdown but, aside from that, Detroit will be ineffective against a strong 49ers defense. The 49ers will throw only about 22 passes and will dominate on the ground with 220+ rushing yards.
See you next week and stay tuned
