The San Francisco 49ers have had their share of doubters each week, yet sit atop the NFC West with a perfect 8-0 overall record. Still, Monday night's matchup at Levi's Stadium against quarterback Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks will definitely be a significant test to kick off the second half of the season.
ESPN asked a panel of its writers to predict the biggest upsets of Week 10. Two of the five writers picked the Seahawks (currently six-point underdogs) over the 49ers. Those writers are Jason Reid and Kevin Seifert.
Reid loves what head coach Kyle Shanahan is doing in San Francisco but thinks MVP-candidate Wilson might be too much for the 49ers defense to overcome.
"The leader in the MVP race will remind everyone why he is out front on Monday night," writes Reid.
Reid goes on to predict that Seattle, not division-leading San Francisco, will end up winning the NFC West when all is said and done and provide a springboard for the Seahawks' third Super Bowl appearance of the Pete Carroll era.
The other writer, Seifert, calls Monday's matchup the biggest game the 49ers have played in six years, and the Seahawks will be ready to capitalize on any mistakes.
So, even at 8-0, San Francisco still has its share of doubters, which is fine with the players. They seem to feed off of this type of motivation and the chance to prove their doubters wrong. Monday could be a big win for a strong 49ers team that has many in the media waiting for the team to stumble.