NFL schedule makers have dealt the 49ers a bad hand, with San Francisco set to be less rested than its opponents for much of the season.
The 49ers have four different opponents on their schedule that have been coming out for weeks. They are the only team the NFL is forcing to face opponents they have left four times.
When the 49ers face the Chiefs in Week 7, the Cowboys in Week 8, the Seahawks in Week 11 and the Bills in Week 13, all of these teams will be having a bye.
The 49ers also play after short weeks of work in Week 2 (playing on Sunday after a Monday night game), Week 6 (playing on Thursday night), Week 15 (playing on Thursday night) and Week 18 (playing on Sunday after a Monday night game).
It’s certainly not an impossible burden for a good team to overcome, but it’s a burden nonetheless. The 49ers cannot be satisfied with the schedule the NFL has given them.