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The 2024 NFL season is here, and the 49ers Faithful is fired up for another huge season that ultimately will end up in the same heartbreak right around the Valentine's Day holiday.
I'm sorry. That's mean.
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I'm not predicting that. Please forgive me. But it's on your mind, don't lie.
Here are five bold-ish predictions for the 49ers' 2024 season:
Three D-linemen combine for 40 sacks
The 49ers, probably for the first time since 2019, will have a lethal, consistent pass rush outside of just defensive end Nick Bosa.
San Francisco 49ers
Sure, San Francisco has had other strong pass-rush options like Arik Armstead, Javon Hargrave, Chase Young and other rotational rushers in recent years, but the defensive line just hasn't lived up to expectations since 2019.
That will change in 2024.
Free-agent addition Leonard Floyd will provide the 49ers with their best complement to Bosa since Dee Ford in 2019, which will open up opportunities not only for Bosa, but other rushers like Hargrave, Maliek Collins and Yetur Gross-Matos.
Now one year removed from his contract holdout, which Bosa admits impacted his underwhelming 2023 season, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year once again will flirt with the 20-sack milestone while Hargrave and Floyd rack up double-digit takedowns.
Defense collects 40 takeaways
The 49ers snagged 22 picks in 2023, tied with the Chicago Bears for the second-best total behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25).
San Francisco's six fumble recoveries gave its defense 28 total takeaways last season, tied for fourth-most in the league with the Bears and Cleveland Browns and behind the New York Giants (31), Baltimore Ravens (31), Buffalo Bills (30), and New Orleans Saints (29).
With a revamped pass rush and perhaps the best secondary of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era, the 49ers' defense will come away with 30 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries in 2024.
Purdy leads NFL in passing touchdowns
Given Purdy threw the third-most (31) last season, this isn't that spicy of a prediction.
He has the same supporting cast around him, if not slightly better, and with a more dominant defense -- and more defensive takeaways -- comes more drives and opportunities for the offense. Purdy will throw a career-high 36 touchdowns in 2024.
The 49ers have an embarrassment of riches on offense and once again, Purdy will reap the rewards. That doesn't mean what you think it does, though. Let's not start that debate again.
Offense shatters franchise record for points in a season
It's all connected, as you're starting to see.
The 49ers' offense scored 491 points in 2023, the third-most in the NFL behind the Dallas Cowboys (509) and Miami Dolphins (496).
San Francisco's franchise record for points in a season is 505, set in 1994. They were 15 points shy of breaking the record last season, so if Purdy and the offense do improve in 2024, they could blow past this record.
If you're wondering, the NFL record for team points in a season is 606, set by the 2013 Denver Broncos. I won't go as far as predicting that record is broken, though.
49ers win 14 games, secure NFC's No. 1 seed
Barring something puzzling or unforeseen, all of these predictions, if true, should equate to a very dominant season for the 49ers.
They won 12 games and secured the top seed last season, but certainly could have reached 14 wins had Jake Moody's game-winning field goal attempt in Week 6 not gone awry and the starters had not rested in Week 18 against the Rams.
It's shaping up to be another big season for the 49ers.