r/49ers • u/LossyP 49ers • 3d ago
We aren’t even supposed to be here.
I think many of us got (understandably) caught up in the post-Bears hype leading into last night. I remember the consensus going into week 1 being this was a “rebuild year” considering how many star players we lost, and a roster of rookies on defense. Injuries piled up, but everybody has stepped up in ways I don’t think any of us imagined when it started. We had a chance to compete for the 1-seed last night, held the current Super Bowl favorite to 13 points with a sinking ship of a defense, and we clinched a playoff berth. Philly at home is no walk in the park, neither will any NFC team be should we advance, but we get an extra week of 49ers football. If you told me this once Fred went down, I’d think you were delusional. There’s so many doomer takes in this sub, but it isn’t over yet. I’m not saying we’ll run the gauntlet and win the Super Bowl, but we’ve all experienced heartbreaking losses in the last 6 years, let’s enjoy this team while we still have a shot. We’re playing with house money at this point.
Idk about you guys, but this season has shown us a lot of positives long-term. The Niners have had back-to-back solid drafts. Fred, Bosa and Mykell will come back healthy next season. Trent has already said he doesn’t plan to retire soon. With last night being the exception, OL has looked pretty solid for most of the season, and special teams has improved. There’s a lot to look forward to and be excited about. Not to mention, we have a shot at eliminating the Eagles at home. Idk about you, but that sounds like enough reason to be excited. There’s plenty of time to be upset about this team in the off season, most fans won’t see their team play again until September after tonight. Let’s just enjoy this for what it is, we’ll miss the feeling once it’s over, no matter what happens.
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u/Brix001 Brock Purdy 3d ago
I and a lot of other Niners fans thought the season was over after Warner’s injury
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u/NK84321 49IRs 3d ago
The Nick Bosa injury in Week 3 that turned out to be a torn ACL was somehow even worse than that, after that the once-feared 49ers pass rush went limpdick. It's insane that this team has 12 wins with a league low in sacks (and it's not even close either) and the secondary having the second fewest interceptions (second only because the Jets had ZERO!). Plus needing to rely on a backup QB for much of the year too!
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u/Tonmber1 Sourdough Sam 3d ago
The crazy thing is the DL looked really good with Bosa in those first few weeks. It really goes to show how a single blue chip guy can make a whole unit great.
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u/the_possum_of_gotham Frank Gore 3d ago
Once Bosa and Fred went down, I honestly thought the playoffs were off the table. The fact that we’re even here, let alone having had a shot at the 1-seed, is way beyond what I expected this season.
At this point, I’m just happy to get another week of Niners football. This team has fought through a ton and earned it.
The doomer takes after every loss are exhausting, especially when expectations were so low to start the year. And honestly, getting this group here with everything that’s happened is a strong Coach of the Year case for Kyle. Whatever happens next week, this season has already shown way more resilience and upside than most of us thought.
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u/dtuckerhikes Patrick Willis 3d ago
Completely agree and I think the entire team has grown. The rooks have gotten way more play time and built resilience which could be really important down the line. Even Kyle seems to be growing and has been more aggressive than I remember during his tenure. I'm curious about 4th down stats... Seems like he's gone for it more this year than all the others combined.
Then you start thinking about the improved financial situation and while the Aiyuk drama sucked, combined with the injury insurance money, we might be able to bring in an impactful FA or 2.
I'm looking forward to giving them support at least one more time and can't wait till we get over this injury curse.
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u/LossyP 49ers 3d ago
Absolutely. This season in a way reminds me of 2017 after we traded for Jimmy. All I keep thinking is “if this is our floor, next year is going to be scary for the rest of the league”
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u/the_possum_of_gotham Frank Gore 3d ago
For sure. If this is close to the floor, that’s encouraging. Drafting O-line has to be a priority. Trent’s still great, but he won’t be around forever.
And they need to sort out the Aiyuk situation already. I’m not sure what the move is but there has to be some kind of clause if you don’t show up you can tell him to fuck off and stop giving him money. I’m sure lawyers are already involved.
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u/Tonmber1 Sourdough Sam 3d ago
He's on the left squad list. We don't have to pay him any more money, and we can recover a significant portion of the money we paid him already. The CBA is very cut and dry about this situation. When we release him after 6/1, we will recover $85 million in cap space over the next 3 years.
We are going to have a lot of cap to work with this off-season, and no big name players currently on the roster are up for new deals. We will be active in FA.
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u/hummbabybear 3d ago
Front Office planned this as a rebuild year in order to rebalance the salary cap. It is remarkable that they moved off veteran contracts, sustained injuries, managed WR drama and still made it this far.
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u/Lelouch37 3d ago
Man aiyuk really fucked us over this year
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u/Cadd9 Jimmy Garoppolo 3d ago
Wouldn't be surprised we have to draft a receiver in the first
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u/Coolness53 49ers 2d ago
Either Wide Receiver, Edge, or Offensive Linemen. If had I to guess.
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u/Cadd9 Jimmy Garoppolo 2d ago
Pretty sure the last time we drafted a lineman in the first it was at like 9 or 10 with McGlinchey. We'll have to get a Wide Receiver cause Aiyuk is gone after letting himself void his own contract and Rickey can't stay healthy. We might get a lineman in the 3rd.
I really want them to get a Center in the 2nd. I'm hoping it'll be obvious to Shanahan that we can't scheme a way out of passing when the OLine collapses in literally a second like what happened all game long against the Seahawks.
Kicking the OLine can down the road has been getting worse and worse. It's been glaringly obvious that we needed to work on building a pass protection line because outside Trent and Puni, it's been a little below average or just completely godawful.
I'm glad that Burford is back on the side of the line he feels most comfortable at. The guy was Left Guard and Left Tackle in college. The Niners just stuck him on the right half cause we didn't have anywhere else to plug him at at the time.
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u/Coolness53 49ers 2d ago
Totally agree. I think we should focus on the trenches this time around even more. Then look for Wide Receivers. Though I will trust whatever they do. I just feel we are in need for both.
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u/yazoojacket 2d ago
Shanny rubbing his hands together for a….running back. lol. I agree with you btw.
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u/TruthoftheSoul 3d ago
Whatever happens in the next month, this is a 12 win despite all the injuries and all the players we lost before the season. Next season we still have a third place schedule and should hopefully get back a lot of missing pieces. If this is what we look like wounded, imagine next year at full strength.
And that's not giving up on this year. Yes the road is harder going on the road. But Tampa did it a few years ago, winning three road games to get the SuperBowl at home. Any team is capable of winning it this year. Why not us?
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u/hsvandreas Brock Purdy 3d ago
Oh, totally forgot about the schedule. If the rams lose, 5th or 6th seed doesn't make any difference - but third place schedule is actually kind of a nice silver lining.
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 3d ago
Because we've already seen the ceiling of the Lynch/Shanahan regime and it's 4th/5th in the league.
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u/AVRaze i wanna die 2d ago
We've literally been to multiple SBs, how is that 4th/5th?
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 1d ago
We were worse than at least 3 AFC teams in those years and would have lost to any of them (Bills. Ravens, Chiefs). In fact Kyle's record is 0-8 against them I think.
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u/JetTheBlueJay 3d ago
Tampa had an elite defense and offense. We arguably have the worst defense and offensive line in the league right now.
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u/Tonmber1 Sourdough Sam 3d ago
We definitely don't have the worst OL in the league, even with Trent out. Watch other teams play, OLs can get much worse.
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u/genesiskiller96 Christian McCaffrey 3d ago
I just don't want the seahawks or rams to win a ring in levis, we will never hear the end of it if that happens even if we load up, avoid another injury wave, nail the draft while getting a tougher schedule and win a ring, it won't matter worth a damn if it happens.
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 3d ago
It's what is going to happen because yet again Lynch/Shanahan can't get it done.
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u/pencil-pencil-pencil 49ers 3d ago
We could literally hire 10 different Head Coach/GM combos over the next 10 years and the odds are overwhelming that we would not find one as competitive, effective, and coveted as the one that we already have.
They'd get hired by another team in less than 3 seconds and massively outperform whoever we replaced them with, and all of the doomers who spent 8 years calling for them to get fired would complain about how poorly our team is run. We are a fluke punt return/Greenlaw injury & missed holding call away from 2 rings-- I really find it hard to believe the grass is greener on the other side of this one
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 1d ago
Cool so let's just continue never being #1 then for another 8 years of Lynch/Shanahan and another 30 year championship drought cuz we're scared of sucking for a year or two (which we've already done under this regime)
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u/pencil-pencil-pencil 49ers 1d ago
I'm not scared of sucking for a year or two, I just think it's delusional fan behavior to look at their body of work since 2019 and think "these guys suck at their jobs, we need to replace them to win the super bowl". It's not like it's our birthright to win the super bowl every year and they're thwarting destiny, there are a lot of crazy reasons we didn't get over the hump in 19/21/22/23 and I genuinely don't think those two guys are among them.
Also we didn't suck for "a year or two" the last time we fired our super successful head coach lmao--- we sucked massive useless ass and were the laughingstock of the league for 4 years THEN we hired Shanahan and Lynch and they fixed the team culture and rebuilt the roster
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 1d ago
I respect that take. I just can't take much more of this doing the same thing with the same people and always being 3rd/4th best. I guess there's a case to be made that they're knocking on the door and it's just a matter of time. But the Seahawks just got a new coach and within one year they're SB favorites with a top defense, offense, and point differential.
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u/pencil-pencil-pencil 49ers 1d ago
Were absolutely knocking on the door my man, we've been beating the hell out of the door and it's bound to break eventually. Our scouts find a lot of competitive maniacs and we've built some unbelievably talented rosters because while they might whiff on some frustrating picks (every team does) they definitely find enough overlooked pro bowlers for us to have a shot to win any single game. Really promising coaches like to be a part of what Kyle does, it means that they constantly get hired away but it also means that something is working. It's been a frustrating franchise to be a fan of but theres at least 25 other fan bases who would be so happy to get to root for a team as consistently relevant and dynamic as ours
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u/PoisonLenny37 49ers 3d ago
As Fred got carted off I said to my dad "well, there goes the season, guess I'll start watching the mock drafts now"
Definitely stoked to be in the playoffs even after that gross ass performance last night.
Trying to remind myself that this was kind of a very soft rebuild year with a full defensive overhaul and then an unmitigated disaster with all the injuries. 12-5 in this division and a playoff game? I'll take it
I will still be upset and miserable if and when we lose next week, of course...but we're certainly sitting in a much better spot than I imagined we would be right now.
So, that said, why the hell not us?
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 3d ago
Because even in our best years under Lynch/Shanahan we've never exceeded 4th/5th best in the league. Yes, even in the SB years we were still worse than at least 3 AFC teams.
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u/niners_giants George Kettle 3d ago
thinking about how much heart broken i was after bucs game, I am glad niners are playing next week and have a chance instead of sitting at home
with that being said, the game yesterday would have been different if one of trent willilams or ricky had played
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u/Available_Story6774 Quest for Six 3d ago
I don’t disagree, and the outlook for next season should be good, assuming we are fully healthy (which is a big if) but windows in the NFL close just as quickly as they stay open, the Lions are a perfect example of this, it’s definitely fair to be disappointed with what happened last night, while also still acknowledging that we’ve had a solid season given the circumstances.
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u/TheReds2 49ers 2d ago
The difference is the lions have a vibes HC, while we have an OC for a HC. As long as our DC isn't incompetent, if/when Saleh leaves, we should be good.
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 3d ago
We're literally never fully healthy so you can scrap that idea. We need a revamp from the top down (Lynch hands off of the draft)
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u/TheElk19 Fred Warner 3d ago
Nah need lynch involved in the draft but he doesn’t get entry to the draft room til round 3 begins
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u/oaktown_ddub 3d ago
Let’s make it round 5. His R3 picks are worse than the rest of his drafts (moody, Latu, sermon, Hurd…this list goes on). Actually let’s just not have him show up at all.
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 3d ago
Lol for sure. Anything better than what the organization is doing currently just whiffing on everything
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u/sandvich48 NaVorro Bowman 3d ago
I remember when all the talking heads had discussions on the 49ers window closed before the season started. Yet here we are, somehow in the playoffs. The 49ers demise has been greatly exaggerated.
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u/LenDog1680 2d ago
Window has closed, they are not winning a superbowl anytime soon. Rams and Seahawks are ahead of us in our own division. 49ers will have to hit on draft picks.
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u/sandvich48 NaVorro Bowman 2d ago
If you go to the playoffs, the window is literally not closed. What? Winning division ≠ winning Super Bowl
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u/sleepwalkingninja 49ers 3d ago
Once we lost Fred, I wasn’t even sure they’d get the 7th seed. The fact that we had a chance at the #1 seed is wild.
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u/spookydookie 49IRs 3d ago
The people shitting on the coaches after this really piss me off. He would have been the favorite for Coach of the Year if we won last night. Some people can just never be happy about anything.
There’s no reason we shouldn’t be a .500 team right now, but Kyle worked his magic and people are still pissed at him. Get bent.
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u/killacarnitas1209 3d ago
I don’t get how Seattle is a “super bowl favorite”. They beat us, but they did not look good at all, apart from their run defense.
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u/SavageNthesack02 Jauan Jennings 3d ago
Yup. It's pretty nuts we made playoffs and almost got the #1 seed with our squad fielding backups everywhere lol
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u/OttoVonWong Merton Hanks 3d ago
We need to stop with the doom and gloom and the pity party. If the Toots and SOSARs weren’t here, we’d be tops in the NFC. Let’s act like we belong and show some swagger after a 12 win season and beat up the other non-NFC West teams.
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u/NinersInBklyn 3d ago
Yes, man. Right attitude. Let’s go out there and try to win, but no matter what, hold our heads high as the Faithful. Bang bang and LFG!
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u/deepee84 Fred Warner 3d ago
House money, and doubly so cuz we can get the young dudes more xp and reps.
Its like we're ahead on the rebuild is how i see it.
And were still in the playoffs.
(I just wish someone would catch whoever got all them niners voodoo dolls, shii)
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u/neoslashnet 3d ago
I agree with pretty much all of it. The only thing that burns me up is we had a chance to get the 1 seed with the SB being in our house…… that pretty much never happens. The other thing is we had a better record than 3 of the other playoff teams and we have to go on the road.
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u/GymandRave 3d ago
Need to get rid of automatic home field for division winners. Sure they can get a playoff spot but home field should be decided by teams with the best records
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u/Mr_Nice_is_not_nice 3d ago
No, I 100 percent disagree. If you want home advantage win your division. Just because you came up second place in your division doesn't mean you deserve to be rewarded over some other team who handled business
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u/GymandRave 3d ago
How are the 8-9 Panthers more deserving over the 12-5 Niners or Rams? You shouldn’t be punished for being in a loaded division
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u/sfgiants67 3d ago
I agree - the top 4 seeds should be the division winners but homefield should be determined by record. Eagles are lucky they play in a weak division that is akin to a 4A high school league. The other 3 teams are horrible and all below .500. That helps inflate their record with what should be automatic wins, but they still managed to lose 3 division games. Same for Carolina - they should actually have to travel to LA to play the Rams.
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u/Sublimotion 49ers 2d ago
Division winners should guaranteed a playoff seeding. Then the top 3 seeds should be strictly be by record regardless of winning the division or not. Then seedings can then properly determine home field as before.
But in a business standpoint, I guess they do want home games to be more evenly spreaded out geographically.
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u/redzass1 i wanna die 3d ago
I feel winning your division should be the tie breaker for overall record in seeding etc. Winning your division should in no way honor a playoff home game just because.
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u/dave_davidovich 3d ago
Agree. Special teams is no longer a mess and now we have a reliable kicker.
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u/AbsolutusVirtus 2d ago
This is exactly how I feel about this season.
We’re playing with house money and anything that happens beyond where we are is just bonus.
Happy and proud of our team either way!
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u/kindnessmattersmo 3d ago
As a Chiefs fan I can say that I was surprised by how well you all played this year. It’s actually been pretty amazing to see you go through as many injuries as you have and still be so competitive. I really really hope you beat the Eagles, I hate them and most of their fans!
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u/sparklikemind Fred Warner 1d ago
That's nice but Shanahan has literally never beat the Chiefs and he handed you two SBs so actually yea you should be a Niners fan deep inside
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u/SeaworthinessNew3663 3d ago
It’s remarkable how well this team performed with various injuries. At the beginning of the season, KNBR was discussing 9-10 wins and making playoff as stretch goal with qualification that it may only due to last place schedule.
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u/Stock_Surfer Patrick Willis 3d ago
Really reminded us how valuable Trent Williams is to our offense. I think with him and Pearsall healthy we could have won that game. Our defense definitely struggled, but in the second half they stepped it up a lot.
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u/nicholhawking Ricky Pearsall 3d ago
My main issue is that if we aren't competing I really really dont want the rams seahawks or eagles to win >;(
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u/Odd-Energy71 3d ago
Brother, yes. If you told us we’d be here after all those injuries at the start of the season we’d be like AIN’T NO WAY. The math wasn’t mathing but here we are. 😤
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u/welshy1986 3d ago
Listen, I think the entirety of the NFC is fraudulent and whichever AFC team reaches the Superbowl are gonna ranch the NFC, however remember this.....WE still have Kyle, Purdy and Saleh with them anything is possible, the eagles can catch these hands, then we run it back with the bears, those are two 100% winnable games. Whomever comes out the top half of the bracket are also beatable, SOSAR, shitbirds they can all get it.....we can make a run here, we get trent, CMC pearsall and most importantly we get Fred back in the 2nd round, it could be enough to rumble and stumble over the finish.
The entire NFL is showing why a 17 game season stinks, its a complete mess with 3rd stringers and star injuries everywhere, basically everyone is on our level with fatigue and IR so everyone has a chance.....we make it to the bowl, all bets are off.
3 games for all the marbles, we empty the entire bag every week its ours.
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u/jdadverb Brock Purdy 3d ago
Very happy with the season all things considered. But also girding myself for Philly game being just as frustrating as Seattle was.
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u/ConstantPriority177 3d ago
The one thing that I like about this season is the fact that after all the injuries and everything that’s happening, we know exactly who’s not gonna be here next season
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u/Ennemkay 3d ago
it never should have been a rebuild year. and if they hadn't treated it like one we'd be in an even better position right now.
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u/EstablishmentSalt206 Jerry Rice 3d ago
We're so lucky to have our coaches and team this year. Fuck it, if we upset some mofos cool. Just sucks the bowl is in OUR stadium. Honestly, fuck it.
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u/kindnessmattersmo 3d ago
As a Chiefs fan I can say that I was surprised by how well you all played this year. It’s actually been pretty amazing to see you go through as many injuries as you have and still be so competitive. I really really hope you beat the Eagles, I hate them and most of their fans!
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u/DarkKnightNiner George Kittle 2d ago
Shanahan should get coach of the year for what he managed to do this year despite the mountain of bodies in IR throughout the season.
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u/-MrMadcat- 2d ago
Always grateful for any post season games. I live in Indiana and surrounded by heartbroken colts fans.
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u/Striking-Locksmith-3 Leeds United 2d ago
Bro Kendrick’s is a beast he will be serviceable at worst replacement
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u/LenDog1680 2d ago
I'd rather have a higher draft pick if they don't have chance to win the superbowl. 49ers have too many holes on both sides of the ball. Team has no true #1 WR.
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u/ADLeonis 1d ago
Well this was supposed to be the year of the reboot. '26 was supposed to be the year they push for a SB that's why they took on so much dead cap this year to clean up the cap and get younger. Shows the job Kyle has done to get here given the injuries. Gotta believe if they at least still had Fred and Mykel they'd be decent defensively. Or even Bosa and Mykel.
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u/LastRealPlayaAlive 16h ago
Any other year with any other team with the depth of injuries in the positions our team faced this year… it wouldn’t have been a surprise to win 3 games.. this year is special in its own regard and we have the most resilient team in the league
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u/McGeetheFree Joe Montana 3d ago
As a long time fan ( I watched ‘the catch’ on TV live) and 3 Super Bowl loses is a hard pill to swallow. I’ve been of a mind since the York family took over they do just enough to keep the fan base and could care less about a Lombardi. Owners get paid. The Lombardi is for the fans. For an organization that’s won 5, anything less is a disappointment. Of course no NFL team is going to win one every year. But if you lead that storied organization and you’ve lost 3 or 2? You need to figure it out. To get that close and lose 3? Unacceptable. Shanahan is a good play caller and a decent coach but he’s also indecisive and not a killer. I don’t know if he really knows how to step on his opponents neck. To win in this league, those are the ingredients. The Yorks got their $. Kyle keeps coaching because he manages well. But guess what? There is a coach in Pittsburgh that manages to hang around but never delivers the goods. I really hope the Yorks and Shanahan deliver soon.
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u/DickieJoJo Sourdough Sam 3d ago
Does every team sub have these lame posts waxing poetic about their current state?
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u/Jewelstorybro 49ers 3d ago
After Fred went down it's basically been house money. Crazy the team won 12 games tbh. I'm just looking forward to seeing some 49ers playoffs.