Why Sharpe thinks the 49ers will win the NFC West despite a slow start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Shannon Sharpe has the most confidence in the 49ers to make a late-season run and clinch the NFC West.
When asked which team he trusts more, San Francisco or the Philadelphia Eagles, the ESPN expert explained why he likes the 49ers.
“I just trust the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan,” Sharpe said on “First Take” Tuesday. “I don’t expect him to make stupid plays – as much – as Nick Sirianni. AJ Brown is still a little stunned.
“So obviously Christian McCaffrey, who’s been injured for a lot of the season, but they’re getting Jauan Jennings back, [Jon] Feliciano is back, a few other guys are back. So, I like the direction they’re going. If they can keep these guys healthy for a substantial period of time, I expect them to win the NFC West and make a good run in the playoffs.
San Francisco had a start up and down into the 2024 NFL season, currently 4-4 and one game behind the Arizona Cardinals for first place in the NFC West. The team was crippled by injuries and sloppy play, losing its lead in the fourth quarter and struggling to contain some of the most explosive offenses it played.
After completing a bye week to get healthy, the 49ers are in a good position heading into the second half of the season. Retrieve McCaffrey will add another dimension to the offense, which will take some pressure off quarterback Brock Purdy.
Given how weak the NFC West is compared to other divisions in the conference, winning the division might be San Francisco’s only way to qualify for the NFL playoffs.
Sharpe believes the team will have no difficulty righting the ship, and given Shanahan’s track record performance after the bye week – where he is 43-18 (.704) – he is right to think so.
