We’ve seen a few different iterations of the San Francisco 49ers under Kyle Shanahan come oh so close to winning a Super Bowl. The 2019 season was a heartbreaker, but 2021 and 2022 also saw the Niners look like contenders.
This season is different. There are weeks when it seems like the defense has taken a step back, but that unit has been impressive all season and come up with some key stops and critical turnovers.
The most considerable difference comes on the other side of the ball. We got a glimpse of what the 49ers could be down the stretch last year when Brock Purdy took over at quarterback and Christian McCaffrey was added into the mix.