49ers Re acts Week 12: What record will the Niners have during the ‘bird game’ stretch?
Is it realistic to go undefeated?
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Following two straight wins over the Jaguars and Bucs, the 49ers will battle with bird teams for six consecutive weeks. Starting with their Thanksgiving clash with the Seahawks, the 49ers will face the Eagles, Seahawks, Cardinals, and Ravens before their Week 17 matchup with Washington.
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The 49ers have an outside chance at the number-one seed in the NFC. If the Chiefs receivers caught passes on Monday, they would have a better chance. Nonetheless, this stretch of games will be critical in determining where the 49ers finish headed into the postseason. Detroit is still ahead of the 49ers but has two games against New Orleans and Dallas.
What will the 49ers’ record be following this stretch of “bird games?” The best-case scenario is the 49ers go undefeated, which is a possibility but not likely. Thursday’s game is critical in the race to win the NFC West, and the team will face the Eagles off a mini-bye week to prove last season’s NFC Championship game was a product of Brock Purdy’s injury.
Facing Seattle again at Levi’s Stadium could clinch the NFC West, but Arizona will be a much different challenge the second time around as Kyler Murray has returned and always given the 49ers issues. The “bird games” finish with a Christmas Day matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, who are notoriously tough on NFC opponents.
Optimistically, I believe the 49ers will go 4-1 during this five-game stretch. The only slip-up will be against Baltimore. Seattle will be tough, but isn’t as talented as the 49ers and come into Thanksgiving banged up. Philadelphia has won all but one game but has left the door open for teams to defeat them. The 49ers will find a way to get that done in Philadelphia.
Arizona will be a tough NFC West battle, but the 49ers will get that game in the win column. Baltimore has an overwhelming record against NFC opponents, and Lamar Jackson will present many problems for the 49ers defense.
