What is the Easiest Stretch of Games on the 49ers 2022 Schedule?
There is always an easy and tough stretch on the schedule for a team.
In my previous article, I broke down what the toughest stretch in the season will be the 49ers. This time I will look at what the easiest part is. Now, teams will always say that there isn’t such thing as an easy game. But there are opponents and conditions for each game that are lighter than others.
So what is the easiest stretch of games on the 49ers’ schedule?
Weeks 12 to 16.
For starters, this does not mean the 49ers will cakewalk through this stretch of games. It is just that this stretch is the easiest of any portion in the season. To kick things off in Week 12, the 49ers play host to the Saints, which is rare. New Orleans almost always plays host, but this time around it is the Saints who are the visiting team. I don’t consider the Saints much of a force without Sean Payton, especially outside of the their dome stadium. This game only gets tricky because the 49ers are coming off a Monday Night Football game in Mexico City against the Cardinals. So they will have endured a long travel with potentially a difficult game played, then they'll have to prepare for the Saints on a short week.
After that, the 49ers will face the Dolphins. There’s a bunch of talent on Miami right now led by former Niners’ offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Still, their quarterback in Tua Tagoviloa is still a huge question mark who has prove to be more of an average player than anything. And since they’ll be at home again, the 49ers should be able to treat this game routinely. Week 14 is where the 49ers should feel happy to be at home for a third-consecutive week as they’ll host the Tom Brady led Buccaneers. This is by far the toughest game on the easiest stretch of theirs. No other game will push them to the limit like this one.
To make matters worse, the 49ers will have to get a quick turnaround for a Thursday night road matchup with the Seahawks. Such a short week turnaround after facing an elite opponent props up this matchup with Seattle. But that’s all the difficulties the 49ers will face. The Seahawks shouldn’t give them too much trouble. It’ll be about what the 49ers can do and nothing else. Finishing out the easy game stretch is the Commanders at home who are a joke, especially compared to the recent opponents the 49ers will have faced.
Again, this stretch isn’t a steamroll for the 49ers, but it is one of their more manageable stretches in the season. The fact that they’ll be home for four of these five games makes it a large part why it is easy in the first place. They’ll need those home games at such a late point in the season too. You never know when it’ll come in clutch for a playoff push with the ease of being at home.
