Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt, and Nate Burleson of Good Morning Football each made their NFC playoff predictions on Tuesday. Only one of them — Schrager — had the San Francisco 49ers making the playoffs.
You read that right. I'm not talking about winning the NFC West. Two of the three didn't even have Kyle Shanahan's squad playing in the postseason.
Now, there's your hot take for the day.
The 49ers are the defending NFC champions and are coming off of a Super Bowl appearance. Schrager recently called San Francisco one of the most disrespected conference champions in recent memory.
Schrager has two NFC West teams — the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals — getting into the playoffs as Wildcards. Surprisingly, that means having the New Orleans Saints, a team many consider among the favorites in the NFC, sitting at home and watching the postseason on TV.
Schrager's division winners: 49ers, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Packers
Schrager's Wildcards: Rams, Cardinals, Lions
The Cardinals. The Rams. The Lions? 🤔@Pschrags predicts his 2020 NFC Playoff teams --and it's not the usual suspects. pic.twitter.com/jV6L7iLhB5
— GMFB (@gmfb) September 8, 2020
Brandt has the Rams actually winning the NFC West. Yes, that may sound like another hot take to many fans given most who look past the Niners pick the Seattle Seahawks to win the NFC West.
"Everybody just forgot about (Sean) McVay," said Brandt in his defense of picking the Rams as division winners.
Brandt's division winners: Rams, Vikings, Eagles, Buccaneers
Brandt's Wildcards: Giants, Cowboys, Bears
It's prediction week on #GMFB!
Hey @KyleBrandt, which NFC teams are making the playoffs? pic.twitter.com/1kKd1q7QwQ
— GMFB (@gmfb) September 8, 2020
Burleson also has San Francisco missing the playoffs, naming the Seahawks as the winners out of the NFC West.
"That Super Bowl-loss hangover is real," Burleson explained, "before you jump down my throat or hit me with the Twitter fingers. A couple of years ago, the Rams went to the Super Bowl, and they lost. The year after, they were sitting back, watching the playoffs from the couch like we were.
"It's tough to get to a Super Bowl. When you lose in a Super Bowl, it's even harder to get back in the playoffs the following year. I believe they have a really big hill to climb this season."
Burleson's division winners: Seahawks, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Packers
Burleson's Wildcards: Eagles, Saints, Vikings
It's prediction week on #GMFB.
Which NFC teams will make the playoffs...🤔
Who ya got, @nateburleson? pic.twitter.com/k1oc4RdQxu
— GMFB (@gmfb) September 8, 2020