A week after securing a win in Tampa Bay, the San Francisco 49ers went to Cincinnati and crushed the Bengals to the tune of 41-17 in a contest where the outcome was really never in doubt by halftime. What are the chances the Niners move to 3-0 in their home opener while sending the Pittsburgh Steelers to 0-3? Here we discuss the odds and analysis from a betting perspective. When: Sunday September 22nd, 2019 at 1:25pm PT (CBS) Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California Line: 49ers -6.5, o/u 43 Pittsburgh Steelers The mighty Steelers have had an inauspicious 0-2 start to the season, getting embarrassed in New England, losing their franchise quarterback for the season and...

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked on Monday about the team's philosophy on improving the roster. The question was specific to the left tackle position and dealing with the loss of veteran Joe Staley (leg) for six to eight weeks and if the team would be aggressive in pursuing a temporary replacement. Here is how Shanahan responded: "Yeah, always. We would love to if there were options. You look at anything that's possible. I don't think there's a ton of great options out there that are possible." While some took this to mean that the 49ers might aggressively pursue a replacement starting left tackle and ensure that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stays upright and injury-free, I interpreted it differently. I saw it...

Last week I asked the question if it was finally time for Raheem Mostert to breakout and demonstrate his greatness. In the online poll, we had 489 responses to the question, "Will Raheem Mostert become the next great 49er RB"? Sixty-nine percent said "YES," so I'm happy to see there are plenty of astute Niner fans who recognize extraordinary talent when they see it. In Mostert's case, I think it's because 49er fans are used to seeing him for the past few years in the usual role afforded undrafted running backs — a life on special teams with little chance of starting. Now all of a sudden, they are saying, "Who is this guy?"? I don't think anyone expected to see this development so quickly. Mostert is a prime example of a player with...

The San Francisco 49ers rolled in Cincinnati as they defeated the Bengals by a score of 41-17. Here are some rapid reactions to the second win of the season: 1) The offense is good. Really good. From start to finish, Jimmy Garoppolo and the offense took it to the Cincinnati Bengals. Garoppolo had protection, big plays were had in the air and oh, the running game had a bit of an impact. Matt Breida ran 12 times for 121 yards, Raheem Mostert carried the ball 13 times for 83 yards, and Jeff Wilson rushed for two scores. There were so many "chunk plays" of ten yards or more as well as big plays from Deebo Samuel, Marquise Goodwin, and George Kittle. Garoppolo finished 17 for 25 for 297 yards, three touchdowns and one...

The San Francisco 49ers won a lopsided victory in Week 2, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals on the road 41-17. With both sides of the ball playing well, position grades should be fairly fun this week. One-sided San Francisco 49ers wins sure feel good, don't they? This, after the Niners obliterated the Cincinnati Bengals 41-17 in Week 2 at Paul Brown Stadium, which saw nearly every Bengals fan file out of the park in the third quarter when head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad already secured the team's second win of the season. Shanahan's offense engineered an astounding 572 yards of total offense. And while the Bengals allowed more yards than any other team in the NFL last season, putting up nearly 600 yards of offense is impressive regardless...

It's Week 2 of the NFL season, and the San Francisco 49ers are in Cincinnati this week to take on the Bengals. The Niners are 1-0 after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Bengals fell to 0-1 in a hard-fought game against the Seattle Seahawks. Where and When: 1:00 PM EST (10:00 a.m. PST) at Paul Brown Stadium Where to Watch: How to watch or listen to 49ers at Bengals 1) Get in Andy Dalton's Face Just like last week, priority number one is going to be to pressure quarterback Andy Dalton early and often. Dalton was able to throw for over 400 yards last week, and it will be up to the pass rush to ensure he doesn't get off to the same...

The San Francisco 49ers visit the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, and the Niners have a chance to start the season 2-0 by pulling off a road win. If so, these five matchups will be crucial for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. The San Francisco 49ers haven't started a season with a 2-0 record since 2012. That year, of course, the Niners made it all the way to the Super Bowl under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh. After dispatching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-17 in Week 1, the 49ers now have a chance to go up 2-0 on the young 2019 season as they take on the 0-1 Cincinnati Bengals on the road in Week 2. The Bengals are coming off a tough 21-20 road loss against the Seattle Seahawks, dominating nearly every statistical category in that game aside from the one that...

The San Francisco 49ers head into today's game against the Cincinnati Bengals at 1-0, after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-17 in Week 1. Here are some quick thoughts heading into the game: Jimmy Garoppolo- National media pundits are saying that Jimmy G is on a short leash and could be replaced early in the season. He just played in his first regular season game coming off a torn ACL, and led the 49ers to a victory on the road. The 49ers already invested nearly $60 million in the starting quarterback, and it's doubtful that the team will not give Garoppolo every opportunity to prove that he is the 49ers' future at the position. 49ers' defense- This unit clearly has more confidence and swag than the previous two years, but will that hold up? The pass rush has...

The world does not need another negative review of the San Francisco 49ers' Week 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All week I watched the vultures swooping down from a dead, crooked branch to rip every last scrap from the carcass to feed click-bait articles and artificial television commentary. Indeed, everyone wants to see a team play a perfect football game and blow out the hated opponent. But success like that can be a false leader. Failure, flaw, and struggle can build character and wisdom in younger teams. The 49ers had moments last week they can take into tomorrow's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. I've pulled three instances that head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can continue and build upon in Week...

With the first Sunday of the NFL season barely in the books, the molten lava of dissatisfaction and fretting over the strength of Jimmy Garoppolo as the 49ers' quarterback of the present and future has started once again to bubble to the surface. Garoppolo, it seems, has never been quite free of the doubters after his honeymoon of five inspired wins to finish off the 2017 season came to a halt on the field at Arrowhead stadium in the third game of 2018. Garoppolo's season-ending injury in that game gave detractors fodder to chew on for the next fourteen months, and some less than brilliant practices before this 2019 regular season began provided all the spice the naysayers needed to keep the negative chatter going. But while many are ready to disembark from the...

The San Francisco 49ers invested in their defense this off-season and it paid dividends with a road-win in the eastern time zone on opening day. Can the Niners keep it going in another road game, this time with a 10:00 am PST start against an irritated Cincinnati Bengals team that returns home after losing by a single point despite leading for three quarters at CenturyLink Field? Here we discuss the odds and analysis from a betting perspective. When: Sunday September 15th, 2019 10:00 am PST (FOX) Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio Line: 49ers +1.5, o/u 45 Cincinnati Bengals New Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was an unknown coming into this season, spending last season as...

I have been a fan of RAHEEM MOSTERT'S for a long time. Few would listen, and I was told a dozen times that "he's nothing but another undrafted free agent RB, and not good enough for the varsity." I was asked what I saw in him. So, I decided to investigate and find out why my immediate gut-felt support was so strong for THIS guy. I thought the answer was simple. A major reason, of course, is his blazing speed (4.28), he was called "the fastest player in the NCAA" by NFL.com the same year as Tyreek Hill. But, that wasn't it. There was something else. Why was THIS guy so special? Every game, he seems to get stronger as the game progresses. You definitely want him in there in the 4th quarter. Then I realized that his special toughness is what sets him aside. He won't quit. Not by...

The San Francisco 49ers pulled off something of an ugly 31-17 win on the road over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While it wasn't clean, the Niners start the season 1-0 and deserve some positive grades here and there, especially on defense. A year ago, the San Francisco 49ers would have lost the kind of game they ended up winning in Week 1 to start the 2019 season: a 31-17 road victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For starters, this marked the first East Coast road game the Niners have won since 2014, and head coach Kyle Shanahan failed to win a road game at all in 2018. There's much more to it all, of course, but San Francisco has to get a lot of credit for engineering a strong defensive effort against what could end up being a decent Buccaneers...

The San Francisco 49ers found a way to put the Tampa Bay Buccaneers away, led by two pick-sixes and three interceptions overall. Here are the rapid reactions to the first win of the season: 1) The Defense Overcame Adversity and Carried the Day New Linebacker Kwon Alexander was ejected early in the game and it definitely affected the team in the second half of the game. Despite being gashed on the ground, the defense came up with three interceptions (2 pick-sixes), a fumble recovery, and three sacks and took over the second half. While there were penalties and a few big plays given up, all in all, despite the conditions and being on the field a lot, the defense played well. 2) The Penalties Were...

The San Francisco 49ers kick off Week 1 of their 2019 campaign on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and these five X-factors will play a huge role in whether or not the Niners come away 1-0. It's weird to think the San Francisco 49ers are playing something like a must-win game right out of the gate, this time in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the game isn't a must-win one, of course, it feels like it. The Niners' 2019 schedule isn't particularly easy, especially in the latter half, and they have won just five games on the road over the last four years. Starting off strong and bucking the road-woes trend will be on head coach Kyle Shanahan's Week 1 to-do list, and there are quite a number of elements and X-factors playing...

Week 1 is finally here and the San Francisco 49ers will be in Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers. Where and When: Raymond James Stadium at 4:25 EST (1:25 PST) Where to Watch: How to watch or listen to 49ers at Buccaneers Below are the keys to victory for the 49ers. 1) Pressure Jameis Winston It's no secret that Tampa Bay does not have the greatest offensive line, but the revamped 49ers defensive front needs to exploit that early and often. If Winston is under heavy pressure, it will be very difficult for Tampa to put up points. It will be important for Dee Ford and Nick Bosa to showcase...

The stretch between pro football seasons is a slog. It's bloated with speculation and baseless theories on who might win a Week 4 match-up, despite no team with a final 53-man roster. We've made it nine months without the Sunday afternoon sounds of crunching plastic and cleats kicking up black rubber on a hot artificial surface. More importantly, we have enough substance and fact to make educated guesses as to how the San Francisco 49ers' 2019 season might fare. Faith in the Starting Offensive Line; Fear of the Reserves I don't know if there is a fanbase that has absolute praise for its team's final 53-man roster. The 49ers' roster isn't perfect, and while the 49er executives did make some notable additions to the...

The San Francisco 49ers open their season in Florida against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan and company will be looking to get off to a fast start, hoping to erase the memory of the disastrous 2018 campaign. Football is very much a team sport, however, each week, certain players prove to be the key to success or failure. Here are the players who could make a difference on Sunday afternoon. Running Back Matt Breida Kyle Shanahan's offense ideally operates at a high level when the running game is moving the chains. When healthy, third-year running back Matt Breida has been as consistent as any runner Shanahan has had. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and only fumbled the ball once on 180 touches out of the backfield last season. Breida...

The San Francisco 49ers kick off their much-anticipated 2019 season in sunny Florida on Sunday, bringing more offensive weapons, a significantly upgraded pass rush and a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo to face a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that is now led by Bruce Arians. Here we discuss the odds and analysis from a betting perspective. When: Sunday September 8th, 2019 at 1:25 PST (FOX) Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, Florida Line: 49ers PK, o/u at 50 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay devolved into one of the worst defenses in the league by the end of 2018 and lost Gerald McCoy and Kwon Alexander. The offensive line and running games are question marks, and likely weaknesses, and Jameis...

With today being the deadline for NFL teams to cut their rosters from 90 to the final 53-players, here are a couple of quick reactions for the San Francisco 49ers. Wow, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was true to his word when asked about keeping three quarterbacks on the roster. Personally, between Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard, I would've swallowed my pride and sided with Mullens. The 49ers seem persistent to get value for their quarterbacks and perhaps that could still happen via trade. Nonetheless, it's problematic when you consider the 49ers have other positions of need. It was a long time coming for the oft-injured guard. Former General Manager Trent Baalke traded back into the first round to draft guard Joshua Garnett in 2016. Since then, Garnett has...