The 49ers’ NFC championship defense isn’t going to be easy. Their first-place schedule looks a lot more daunting than last year’s, but a few things about the 16-game slate.
Here are some of our key takeaways from the 49ers’ 2020 schedule:
No playoff teams early
The 49ers have a tougher schedule than they did a year ago thanks to their first-place finish in 2019. Their first three weeks aren’t necessarily tough though. San Francisco opens the year against three teams that missed the playoffs last season, including Arizona and both New York teams. The Cardinals should be better, but hosting them Week 1 makes that game a little less daunting.
Another gauntlet
The 49ers last season played a stretch of games where they faced the Seahawks and Packers at home before road games in Baltimore and New Orleans. They have a similar stretch this year starting in Week 7 at the Patriots. Then they’re in Seattle for Week 8, home for Green Bay on Thursday night in Week 9, and at New Orleans for Week 10. All four of those clubs made the postseason a year ago.
Another East Coast stay
We knew after Week 17 that San Francisco would have four East Coast trips. One of their missions east will include back-to-back showdowns with the New York clubs. The 49ers had two separate instances last season where they played back-to-back games in Eastern Time, and they stayed in that time zone on both occasions. There’s an overwhelming likelihood they’ll do the same thing this year between the Jets and Giants games. It’s worth noting the 49ers were 2-0 and averaged 44.5 points per game in those contests.
Only two early starts
While the 49ers play four games in Eastern Time next year, they’ll only play two at 10:00am Pacific Time, and those two games will both happen early. San Francisco will play at 10:00am PT in Weeks 2 and 3 when they face the Jets and Giants in back-to-back weeks. Their games in New England and New Orleans are both set for 1:25pm PT kickoffs.
Five prime time games
There were a ton of games that made sense for prime time for the 49ers in 2020, and they’re scheduled for the maximum of five, with a few potentially flex-worthy games throughout the year. San Francisco has three Sunday night games, one Thursday night game and a Monday night game. They had six prime time showdowns last year and went 5-1 in those games. Their lone loss was a Week 10 Monday defeat in overtime to the Seahawks. Four of their five this year are at home. The only exception is a Sunday night date with the Cowboys in Week 15.
Favorable Thursday and Monday games
Thursday night games are always rough on players, so the timing of them is key. The 49ers are in Seattle the week before their Thursday night meeting at home against the Packers. Getting the Thursday game at home is vital, and only traveling a couple hours up the coast the previous week will be helpful. Their ensuing long week of rest comes before they travel to New Orleans. Getting a couple extra days before arguably the toughest game of the year is a fortunate break.
Monday night games lead to a short week for the following game, but the 49ers got another break in that regard. They host Buffalo on Monday Night Football, then they stay home against Washington – which might wind up being their easiest game of the year.
Breaks in travel schedule
There was a potentially brutal travel schedule facing the 49ers with four East Coast trips on the docket. They play two of those East Coast games back-to-back against the Jets and Giants. They travel to New England after three consecutive home games, then they go to New Orleans after a long week coming off a Thursday night game. They get their bye after that showdown at the Superdome. Dallas is their furthest trip of the year after that Week 10 matchup with the Saints.
A late bye
A year after having the earliest possible bye week, the 49ers caught a break and will get a Week 11 bye this season. The late-season week off gives the team a much-needed chance to rest late in the year before a six-game stretch that will likely decide whether they make the postseason again.
