The 49ers have some renewed optimism with their bill of health looking a lot cleaner for 2019 than it was for most of last season. Should this turn out to be the much-anticipated full campaign together for coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco's offense has to be ready to make the jump many thought it would make a year ago.
That's because the 49ers' schedule for 2019 will feature several teams that can light up the scoreboard. The NFC West and conference champion Rams are on the 49ers' schedule twice, as usual, but so are several more offenses that are both balanced and explosive.
MORE: When to expect NFL schedule release
There are bound to be plenty of entertaining 49ers games in 2019, assuming Garoppolo picks up where he left off at the helm with a little more support. But translating that into more wins than losses, based on the opponents on the 49ers' schedule, is another story.
49ers schedule 2019
49ers regular-season schedule:
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
(The following schedule comes via leaks and reports ahead of the NFL's official schedule release, which is expected Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.)
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV |
| Week 1 | Sept. 8 | at Buccaneers | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 2 | Sept. 15 | at Bengals | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 3 | Sept. 22 | vs. Steelers | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 4 | BYE | - | - | - |
| Week 5 | Oct. 7 (MNF) | vs. Browns | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Week 6 | Oct. 13 | at Rams | 4:05 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 7 | Oct. 20 | at Redskins | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 8 | Oct. 27 | vs. Panthers | 4:05 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 9 | Oct. 31 (TNF) | at Cardinals | 8:20 p.m. ET | Fox/NFLN/Amazon |
| Week 10 | Nov. 11 (MNF) | vs. Seahawks | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Week 11 | Nov. 17 | vs. Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 12 | Nov. 24 | vs. Packers | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 13 | Dec. 1 | at Ravens | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 14 | Dec. 8 | at Saints | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 15 | Dec. 15 | vs. Falcons | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 16 | Dec. 21/22 | vs. Rams | TBD | TBD |
| Week 17 | Dec. 29 | at Seahawks | 4:25 p.m. | Fox |
49ers preseason schedule:
| Week 1 | vs. Cowboys | Aug. 8-12 TBD |
| Week 2 | at Broncos | Aug 19, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN) |
| Week 3 | at Chiefs | Aug. 22-25 TBD |
| Week 4 | vs. Chargers | Aug. 29 or 30 TBD |
MORE: Full 2019 NFL preseason schedule
Toughest tests: The home schedule outside of the division is brutal. Former league MVPs Cam Newton, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers all will travel to San Francisco to duel Garoppolo at Levi's Stadium. The two visiting QBs from the AFC, Ben Roethlisberger and Baker Mayfield, are no slouches, either.
The road looks a little more manageable in the non-NFC West games, but the 49ers also face two division winners from last season in the Saints and Ravens. Those opponents combine with the Rams and Seahawks to make it six games against playoff teams. Going better than .500 in Santa Clara looks challenging.
Biggest breaks: In addition to a sweep of the rebuilding Cardinals being a must, the 49ers need to make hay with away games in Tampa Bay, Cincinnati and Washington. For San Francisco to have its delayed breakout with Shanahan, it must prove it is no longer a bad team by beating other supposed bad teams.
Bottom line: The hype the 49ers had around this time last year has been replaced with the realism that it will be a grind. San Francisco is facing a schedule that is even more difficult than its ranking — No. 11 in strength of schedule — might suggest.
The 49ers' over/under for wins in Las Vegas is eight, which would represent a four-game improvement from last season. From what we know now, it looks like the 49ers will fall a little short of that record and make it three seasons without a playoff berth under Shanahan. Record prediction: 7-9
