3 Reasons the 49ers Undefeated Start Isn't a Fluke
By Kevin Aquino
The San Francisco 49ers are rocking, starting the 2019 NFL season at 2-0. They could keep their undefeated streak alive when they face a Pittsburgh Steelers team sans Ben Roethlisberger during Week 3.
The Niners’ hot start to the season doesn’t exactly promise a Super Bowl ring, but here’s why the team from The Bay should be taken seriously.
1. Jimmy Garoppolo looks legit
Jimmy G looks legit -- he’s set to match the amount of games he appeared in last season when he takes the field against Pittsburgh. Through two games, Garoppolo has thrown four TDs (three against Cincinnati) on an improved completion rate at 67.3%, which is encouraging considering his 59.6% mark before tearing his ACL last season. Crossing our fingers and knocking on wood, hopefully Garoppolo can stay healthy enough to showcase his evident skills.
2. Kyle Shanahan's balanced approach
The Niners sit in the Top 10 for both offense (No. 7) and defense (No. 9) this season, and given their strong start -- albeit against mediocre competition -- could climb the ladder even more with a win against the Steelers. San Francisco manhandled the Bengals 41-17 last week, and by mixing up passing and running, head coach Kyle Shanahan kept Cincinnati on their toes, to the point where they had no clue what to do next.
3. A good start for a change
San Francisco hasn’t started their season with back-to-back road wins since 1989, when they went 14-2 and repeated as Super Bowl champions. Nobody is expecting this team to replicate that season, but the Niners haven’t had a record over .500 since 2013. For a team that’s been bad, winning their first couple of games handily can be a major spark, and one that’s necessary to shed their recent losing reputation.