49ers Won't Unseat Rams Because of an Easy Schedule

“You think about what Saquon Barkley's impact was in Philadelphia,” Tannenbaum said Friday on First Take, “taking nothing away from Jalen Hurts, who's a great player, Christian McCaffrey can do all those things for this offense.”

Recent history hasn't been kind to easiest schedules

But San Francisco’s biggest obstacle in overcoming the Rams isn’t Jared Verse, Davante Adams, or a Deebo Samuel-type player in the run game. The 49ers’ biggest obstacle is history.

Most who pick the 49ers point to their strength of schedule. The team’s 2025 opponents finished last season with a combined .415 winning percentage, giving the 49ers the NFL’s “easiest” schedule. But four of the last five teams to enter a season with the easiest strength of schedule, according to the NFL, have missed the playoffs.

Both New Orleans and Atlanta shared that distinction last year. The Saints wound up finishing 5-12 and the Falcons were 8-9. The year before, 2023, Atlanta also had the league’s easiest schedule and finished 7-10.

Washington and Dallas tied for the easiest schedule in 2022. While the Cowboys went 12-5 before the 49ers sent them home in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Commanders didn’t reach the postseason. Still, Tannenbaum likes San Francisco.

“I believe in Ricky Pearsall,” Tannenbaum continued. “At some point, they're going to get Brandon Aiyuk back. Jauan Jennings is there. George Kittle's still got a couple of years, so I think they have great weapons, a great play-caller in Kyle Shanahan.

“I think Trent Williams still has a year or two left. So, given a great offensive line, second-best running back, great play-caller, and I think Brock Purdy is an ascending quarterback. I just think one's going up, the other's going down.”

McVay updates Stafford situation

Going down might have more to do with Stafford’s prior neck and back issues than whether he’s better than Purdy. Sean McVay said Saturday he considers Stafford a week-to-week situation.

• “I would just say that you get the different opinions on what is the best way to allow him to be as healthy as possible for 17 games,” McVay said, “and then hopefully you earn the right to be able to do that thereafter. You're really saying, ‘Okay, let's really gain all of the information and we'll take it a week at a time,’ is the approach that we're going to take.

• “We do have some target goals in mind, but similar to last week, what I don't want to do is get ahead of myself. I think we have to be fluid and flexible and ultimately this is what's best for Matthew and for our football team. We have to be ready to adjust and adapt. I don't have any reason to be concerned.”

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