The San Francisco 49ers were undefeated halfway through their regular-season schedule. They were the last unbeaten team remaining. They still had doubters, though.
No one was really sure what to make of this team. Was it for real? Everyone wanted to withhold judgment until after the 49ers reached the tougher portion of their schedule.
The 49ers finished with a 13-3 record and the NFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs. It may have come down to the final play of the NFL's 256-game schedule, but they earned themselves an easier path to Super Bowl LIV. They went through teams like the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks along the way.
Then in the playoffs, they dominated the Minnesota Vikings and their second meeting with the Packers.
That is why rookie defensive end Nick Bosa believes the 49ers are battle-tested for any obstacle in their way. Maybe that includes the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.
"I think sometimes when you have an easier schedule, you kind of get into the playoffs, and you're not as ready to go as you need to be," Bosa told reporters on Thursday. "That's how maybe a team like the Ravens takes a loss in [their first playoff game].
"It was a really grueling, tough stretch. Ravens, Saints, Packers, Seahawks, Rams. I mean, it was a long, long end of the season, and the stats weren't there because those teams are really good. It was tough, but I think, in the long run, it's going to help us."
Nick Bosa says the #49ers are playoff tested because of their last 5 games of the regular season. 💪 pic.twitter.com/gQxoEc7vA9
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) January 30, 2020
