For the past five years, the 49ers have been the trendy pick to win the Super Bowl. That trend might have changed.
The Athletic's Mike Jones recently argued that the 49ers are one of the NFL's four most overrated teams this year along with the Chargers, the Colts and the Ravens.
"Kyle Shanahan always gives them a chance," writes Jones, "and Brock Purdy again has a talented supporting cast, although Brandon Aiyuk faces an uncertain future. Questions loom over the defense, however, with first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen directing a unit that lost Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw to free agency and must deal with the extended absence of Dre Greenlaw, who is recovering from Achilles surgery. The 49ers hope to put another heartbreaking Super Bowl defeat in the past and make another run at a ring, but doing so could prove more challenging than many expect."
I agree that one could make the argument that the 49ers are overrated, but I don't think Jones made a convincing argument.
First, he focuses on the defense as the main reason the 49ers are overrated. At this point, the 49ers defense has taken so much criticism that it's probably underrated. It gave up the third-fewest points in the NFL last season and performed decidedly well in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs.
If the 49ers are overrated, it's not because of their defense or their injuries -- it's because of their head coach. If they have an Achilles' heel, it's Shanahan's inability to close out Super Bowls when he has the lead in the second half. That's his pattern.
So even though the 49ers have an elite defense and an excellent young quarterback who always gives them a chance, they still haven't been able to overcome their head coach's tragic flaw.
That's why the 49ers are overrated.
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