Week 1 – @ Dallas I still remember the 49ers losing to them in overtime during the 2011 season. I doubt the 49ers have anything on their on mind other than getting the bad taste out of their mouth from the NFC Championship Game. I expect Jim Harbaugh to unleash Colin Kaepernick and his passing attack in the beginning. Once the safeties step back, he will revert back to the running game and they push the Cowboy defensive line around in Jerry’s house. I expect Tony Romo to connect a few times with Jason Witten and Dez Bryant. I don’t consider their running game a threat. Jason Garret tends to steer away from the running game even if they have early game success.
49ers 38 Cowboys 17
Week 2 – Vs Chicago Home opener at the brand new Levi Stadium. Emotions and anticipation will be high as these two teams take the field. The 49ers should be able to move the ball through the air and on the ground against a Chicago defense that is still rebuilding and certainly won’t be ready for a prime time spot of this magnitude. The Bears will have great success with their tall athletic receivers catching passes from Jay Cutler. Matt Forte will have his share of yards he earned against the 49ers front seven. I believe this will be a close game at halftime and then by the end of the 3rd quarter, the 49ers defense makes adjustments and gets off the field.
49ers 42 Bears 27
Week 3 – @ Arizona This is a low scoring game from the get go. These two defenses match up well against the respective offenses. Kurt Warner will be able to push the intermediate passing tree for enough first downs to manage a few field goals. Colin Kapernick is able to move the ball down in the 4th quarter for a go ahead score on the road. The running game puts it away in the final minutes.
49ers 13 – Cardinals 12
Week 4 – Vs Philadelphia Could be a record set for rushing attempts in this game. I expect both offenses to try and flex their respective muscle and speed, and both to be successful. This will be a close game late, but the home field will give Colin Kaepernick the comfort level to make some plays late and helps win the game on a final drive in the 4th quarter. 49ers secondary will have their hands full as will the Eagles defensive line. I think the difference in these two teams is the ability to put pressure on the QB and I don’t believe the Eagles can consistently do that late in games.
49ers 34 – Eagles 31
Week 5 – Vs Kansas City You get the feeling Kansas City evens out somewhere in between the two records they’ve finished with the last two seasons. The defense is stout. The offense has question marks. Jamall Charles was excellent last year, however Andy Reid has a long history of abandoning the running game. The passing game is ordinary with Alex Smith at the helm, and I’m sure all the pregame chatter will be about Alex Smith’s return to San Francisco. The 49ers won’t run away with it at any point however I see Jim Harbaugh committing to the running game and the play action passing game.
49ers 23 – Chiefs 13
Week 6 (Monday Night) – @ St Louis This will be a tough game. These two teams always give each other trouble. This is a rough and tough NFC West game. The Rams vaunted defensive line, gets to Colin Kaepernick early and often. The 49ers stone wall the lackluster Rams offense. If this game was 0-0 in the 4th it wouldn’t surprise me. I’m going to say both teams manage first half field goals. The second half becomes a “next score may win it” situation. Jim Harbaugh moves to the spread run action and uses his stable of backs to eventually wear the Rams defensive line down and get a late field goal.
49ers 6 – Rams 3
Week 7 – @ Denver Back to back road games is a concern. Coming off a hard hitting, exhausting Monday night division game, the 49ers are in a truly vulnerable position. This game will showcase both teams passing attacks and with either secondary being unable to stop those attacks this game will be high scoring early. I believe the 49ers running game could neutralize some of that, but with Peyton Manning throwing all over the place, Jim Harbaugh has to adjust and try to keep up. The team is worn out by the 4th quarter and Peyton continues to move the ball. Bye week comes just at the right time.
Broncos 45 – 49ers 31
Week 8 – BYE WEEK
Week 9 – Vs St Louis 49ers come out running this time to try and challenge those pass rushers and have success at home coming off the bye week. 49ers control the clock and point of attack as they try and get St Louis out of town as quickly as they rolled in. Rams offense struggles most of the game to move on a fresh defense that likely will be the 2014 debut of Navarro Bowman. Not a blow out, but its never close.
49ers 27 – Rams 6
Week 10 – @ Saints Going to the Superdome is always a challenge. Colin Kaepernick and Drew Brees duck for their lives as either defense brings the pressure almost every down. The difference in this game should be the 49ers running game in the 4th quarter. I expect Drew Brees to make some plays late as well, as this could easily be a “whoever scores last, wins” situation. I want to believe Colin can out duel Drew, but at home I have to give the edge to the future hall of famer. He will make a play late down the field for a field goal to win it late.
Saints 38 – 49ers 36
Week 11 – @ Giants After a tough loss on the road the 49ers travel north to a place that has been trouble for them in years past. The 49ers start slow and commit a few silly turnovers. Down two scores at the half, the 49ers start to rally in the 3rd behind the running game. Eli Manning throws a late game pick six that changes everything and puts the 49ers in the lead. Jim Harbaugh gets the ball back and runs it until the clock runs out.
49ers 24 – Giants 20
Week 12 – Vs Redskins 49ers come home to face RGIII for the first time. They just happen to see a similar QB in practice all week, so the 49ers defense is neither confused or intimidated. The 49ers put the pressure on him early then challenge him to be accurate with some physical press coverage. The 49ers shouldn’t have a problem moving the ball through the air and on the ground consistently. I see this match-up being pretty one-sided.
49ers 34 – Redskins 13
Week 13 – Vs Seahawks Seeing this game, in Levi Stadium on the schedule for Thanksgiving Night, was one of the coolest moments of my life. What an amazing stage to put the best two teams on, and as a fan of the 49ers it was just an amazing moment. This will be a great game, both teams show up on the big stage. Home field generally dictates the winner in this rivalry and I don’t see that changing now. The 49ers running game behind Frank Gore’s heart will this team to low scoring victory.
49ers 20 – Seahawks 16
Week 14 – @ Raiders This will be a closer game then you would think. The Raiders are a very young team at its core and likely will have gelled some by Week 14. This is also game, which the 49ers had 10 days off for, during this time its not crazy to think they spent time working on the following weeks trip to Seattle. The 49ers will be looking ahead, however they still have the talent and coaching edge. I believe the 49ers will turn the ball over in the first half twice, keeping this a 10-10 game at the half. The 49ers come out and put the vanilla playbook away and get serious in the second half get two quick scores in the 3rd quarter and run the clock the rest of the way.
49ers 27 – Raiders 13
Week 15 – @ Seattle Only two weeks removed from the last meeting, these teams again embark on a slug fest that is again decided by location as the talent on these teams is just so evenly matched. I see a late turnover by a young player and the 49ers defense can’t make a stop late to give the offense one last chance.
Seahawks 16 – 49ers 9
Week 16 – Vs San Diego I got a feeling San Diego will need to win here to solidify a playoff spot. Phillip Rivers will make some plays, however his lack of a running game will allow the 49ers secondary to cheat back and get two interceptions in the second half. This will allow the 49ers offense to have good field position to get a few easy scores, which will negate the inevitable late game charge by Phillip Rivers. The Chragers and Phillip Rivers come up short late in the year, again.
49ers 31 – Chargers 20
Week 17 – Vs Arizona This game will have a double meaning. 49ers likely will need to win to get the #1 seed and Arizona could very well be competing for the final wild card spot in the NFC. This will be a hard fought game, but like the early season match-up, the 49ers 4th quarter running attack wears out the Arizona defensive front and leads to a late Phil Dawson kick to seal the game, #1 seed in the NFC and a 13-3 record.
49ers 23 – Cardinals 13
