During July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the San Francisco 49ers easiest games are the focus.
San Francisco 49ers Easiest Games in 2017
9. Week Nine vs. Arizona Cardinals
This divisional match-up is the second one of the year. With the match-up being at home, and with experience already against the Arizona Cardinals, this will be a little easier than the week four clash. Arizona is still a very tough matchup. An outstanding draft class of Haason Reddick and Budda Baker has added two more blue chip players to an already outstanding defense. Despite appearing on the easier half of the schedule, this will be a game that the 49ers will have a tough time finding a way to win.
10. Week Eight at Philadelphia Eagles
2016 was a tale of two halves for Carson Wentz. He started out hot, and had the Philadelphia Eagles in contention for the division title. Then, as rookie quarterbacks are prone to do, his production dropped off. Now with a full year of tape on Wentz, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will have a good idea how he will deploy the 49ers personnel against Wentz. Though the Eagles have added two talented wide receivers in Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery, the 49ers should be able to compete in this game.
11. Week Nine at Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts identity for the past several years has been to surround Andrew Luck with as little talent as possible. Outside of T.Y. Hilton, the roster had very little going for it. New general manager Chris Ballard seems to have turned the ship around. He had a stellar draft class with Malik Hooker, Quincy Wilson, and Tarell Basham. It is imperative that the Colts add talent around Luck. He is a transcendental talent any franchise would love to build around. If Ballard continues to draft this well, he could have the Colts as a powerhouse in the AFC. As of right now, the Colts are little else other than Luck, and that will be more than enough to challenge the 49ers.
12. Week 15 vs. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a team on the rise. The young talent on the team, most notably Marcus Mariota, is developing very nicely. However, their 2016 offensive game plan was to pound the football using “exotic smash mouth.” With a defensive change to a 4-3 under style of defense, the 49ers are equipped to be solid against the run. Talent along the defensive line and at linebacker should help counteract the Titans style of running. Forcing Mariota to beat them through the air is their best chance to bring down the Titans. At this stage of his career, however, Mariota may be up to the task.
13. Week 16 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a surprisingly talented team despite all the losses they have accumulated throughout the years. Allen Robinson and Leonard Fournette are offensive weapons who could have amazing seasons. The biggest road block to their success, and the Jaguars success in general, is Blake Bortles. Bortles was dreadful in 2016. It will be a make or break year for Bortles in 2017. The 49ers could win this game simply because Bortles gives it away.
14. Week 17 at Los Angeles Rams
The only team the 2016 49ers were able to beat was the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers won both matchups last year. This one will most likely be the last game of the season for both teams. It will be the last chance for both young, building teams to play. It will be the second match-up of the year, so both teams will be familiar with the other. The Rams are incredibly talented on the defensive side of the ball, so a win here is not a given. In what should be a closely contested game, both teams will want to finish off their season on a high note.
15. Week 13 at Chicago Bears
In their third annual trip to the Windy City, the 49ers will play the Chicago Bears, the team they fleeced in the draft. In their 2016 match-up, Jordan Howard ran wild, and Matt Barkley was very efficient in a snowy Chicago setting. This year, the Bears will be manned by one of either Mike Glennon or Mitchell Trubisky. If the 49ers can stop Howard this time around, it may be tough for the Bears quarterback to have success. Since both of these teams are towards the bottom of the league, this should be a close game.
16. Week Three vs. Los Angeles Rams
This Thursday night game will be one that only Rams and 49ers fans will tune into watch. Both of these teams opened up on the first Monday night game of 2016, and it was not a particularly exciting game to watch. Thursday night games put more of an emphasis on coaching staffs, since the players are usually not up to 100 percent yet. Both of these teams have rookie head coaches, but Kyle Shanahan has more experience in the league than Sean McVay. The 49ers will definitely be beat up, having played the Seahawks the week previous. Despite that, this is the easiest game on the 49ers schedule.
Check Out the San Francisco 49ers most difficult games in 2017.
