After a 12-5 regular season record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers are ready to make another attempt at their sixth Super Bowl title.
They reached the NFC Championship Game in three of the last four seasons, which included an appearance in the Super Bowl, but failed to bring home the big hardware.
After finishing first in the conference, the 49ers earned a bye, allowing them to be fully prepared for the playoffs, and according to Nick Waggoner, they should be very healthy for the season opener.
San Francisco ended the regular season with a loss to the rival Los Angeles Rams despite most of their key players either sitting out or barely playing.
It was a banner year for them in 2023 when second-year quarterback Brock Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 draft, threw for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns leading the league in passer rating and QBR and four of his teammates. was more than 1,000 yards from the battle.
Running back Christian McCaffrey was dominant with 1,459 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns and seven touchdowns, making him a strong favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year.
The playoffs will be a test not only for the 49ers as a whole, but also for Purdy, who has yet to prove his ability to win under pressure.
Given their iconic history and all the talent they have on both sides of the football, anything less than a World Cup is considered a failure..