The 49ers’ schedule was never going to be easy. Despite a pair of teams in their division rebuilding, San Francisco is set to face a slew of tough opponents in 2023 thanks in part to their first-place finish last year.
While we’ve known the opponents for awhile, the layout of the schedule plays a role in how difficult some of those games look.
For San Francisco there wasn’t a path to an “easy” schedule no matter how things shook out. However, favorable travel dates and a couple other factors mitigate some of the potential pitfalls of traveling to the East Coast four times during the year.
While the team avoided some potentially backbreaking travel, there’s still a really rough stretch of games through the heart of their schedule that could define the 2023 season.
Here’s a look at that stretch:
Week 8 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The 49ers go into this one coming off back-to-back road games at Cleveland and Minnesota. The Vikings game will be Monday night, so Joe Burrow and the Bengals get the 49ers on a short week. Not only is Burrow an ascending star at quarterback, but Cincinnati’s defense is also a very good, well-coached unit.
Week 9 Bye
Needed it!
Week 10 at Jacksonville Jaguars
The good news is this 10:00am PT kick will come after a week off. The bad news is it’s a long road trip to face a playoff team that’s still on the rise. This won’t be the same version of the Jags the 49ers shellacked in 2021.
Week 11 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This figures to at least be some reprieve, but the Bucs have a talented group of players even if they are having to figure out what they’re doing at QB.
Week 12 at Seattle Seahawks
This is the start of a gauntlet to close this stretch. The 49ers will face their top competitor in the NFC West on Thursday Night Football on the road.
Week 13 at Philadelphia Eagles
Biggest game of the year? It’s nice that the 49ers will get the mini bye week coming off a Thursday night game. Still, the Eagles might just be the class of the NFC and going to their building isn’t going to be an easy one for San Francisco.
Week 14 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Two games against Seattle in a three-week span with the Eagles sandwiched in between. Yikes. There’s a chance the winner of this game puts themselves as the favorite to win the NFC West.
