If you’ve been following the NFL for a while, you may know that it’s not about how you start but about how you finish the season.
Notably, the San Francisco 49ers are living proof of that, as they were just 3-4 through the first seven weeks and closed out the season with an impressive 12-0 record, playoffs included.
Quite the turnaround for the @49ers ‼️
📺: #SFvsPHI –3pm ET on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/fK7vaWiHIa pic.twitter.com/69Fq9duVAD— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2023
Of course, the first couple of months of the season looked more like a fluke than anything else, as the Niners were just too stacked with talented players to be struggling so badly.
Kyle Shanahan’s coaching record had become a running joke around the league, as it seemed like he lost a game every single time he got just above .500.
This time, however, he managed to get the job done, leading the division with ease and making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game despite losing his top two quarterbacks.
The Niners also leaned more heavily in the running game and added Christian McCaffrey midseason.
Also, Brock Purdy has proven to be a much better choice at quarterback than Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, at least for the time being.
Now, the Niners will face the league’s top team in the Philadelphia Eagles for a chance to punch their first Super Bowl ticket since 2019.
It’s been nearly three decades since the Niners last took the Vince Lombardi trophy home, and while there’s still a lot of work ahead of them, this might as well be the year they finally put an end to that drought.
NEXT: Christian McCaffrey Confirms His Status For Sunday
