49ers win NFC West in 2025 season prediction

Longtime NFL writer Conor Orr recently projected the outcomes for all 272 games of the 2025 season, forecasting the San Francisco 49ers to finish with an 11-6 record—a significant improvement over last season's 6-11 finish. It's enough to win the NFC West and secure a return to the playoffs under head coach Kyle Shanahan, which would delight The Faithful.

The NFC West is expected to be a competitive division in 2025. Orr predicts the Los Angeles Rams will finish 10-7, while the Seattle Seahawks take third place at 9-8. While the 49ers finished in last place within the NFC West standings last season, this time, Orr projects the Arizona Cardinals to finish at the bottom with a 6-11 record.

"With the Rams in a bit of an unknown space, I look to Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy and a—possibly—healthy Christian McCaffrey for a bit of stability," Orr explained. "With this schedule, I didn't get overly cute, save for losses to Chicago at home and at Indianapolis toward the end of the season.

"The 49ers of 2023, if you'll remember, had a three-game losing streak against middle-tier opponents that was similarly eye-popping at the time but was merely a sign of exhaustion."

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of how Orr predicts the 49ers will perform in 2025. He has San Francisco opening the season with a road loss to the Seahawks, followed by three consecutive victories.

Orr projects the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to earn home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs, with the 49ers claiming the No. 2 seed. Division winners also include the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions, while the Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Commanders earn Wild Card spots.

H/t to Luke Norris of Niner Noise for the find.