A first-place NFC West finish in 2019 made the 49ers’ 2020 schedule a little more daunting. While they got a small break facing an AFC East that no longer features Tom Brady, they have to travel to New Orleans, face Green Bay on a short week, and deal with what looks to be an improved NFC East.
We went through the 49ers’ 16 games and picked out the five most difficult non-divisional contests. Leaving out the NFC West doesn’t mean the division won’t be tough. In fact, it’s just the opposite. All six division games jump out when checking for difficult matchups. San Francisco went 5-1 in their division last season and only outscored opponents by 31 in their six games.
With the six NFC West showdowns accounted for, here are the other five most difficult games on the 49ers’ schedule:
Week 4 vs. Eagles
Philadelphia somehow made the playoffs last season despite most of their secondary and receiving corps sitting on the sideline with injuries. There was a legitimate chance they would’ve won their playoff game over the Seahawks too had Carson Wentz not gotten hurt early. Philadelphia is among the most talented teams in the league when they’re healthy, and they’re well-coached. The 49ers will be back home after two weeks in New York, which could lead to an added obstacle in an already hard game.