So many things have to go right for the 49ers to make a serious Super Bowl run this season.
First, roughly five rookies on defense have to play right away and perform well. We're talking Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins and C.J. West on the defensive line, Nick Martin at linebacker and Upton Stout at nickelback. For the sake of this article, let's assume all five players will flourish under the excellent tutelage of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
On special teams, the 49ers have to find a kicker they can trust. They currently have Jake Moody, who has a strong leg but doesn't seem to have any confidence, and Greg Joseph, who has been on six teams in six years, which is why the 49ers haven't released Moody yet. They're hoping he wins this kicker competition. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say he will.
That leaves the offense, which has an aging core of veteran players who all need to stay healthy. We're talking Trent Williams, George Kittle, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey.
Brock Purdy also needs to stay healthy behind an offensive line that's thinner than it was last year, plus he needs to play much better in one-score games.
And Kyle Shanahan needs to perform his best. His job could be on the line if he misses the playoffs for the second season in a row. And he knows it.
Last season, he seemed completely burned out. But he had just lost the Super Bowl, so he had a one-year grace period to get himself together. That period is now over. And the pressure to perform should bring out the best in Shanahan, who can be an elite offensive coach when his head is on straight.
Perhaps Shanahan's urgency and desperation will fuel the 49ers this season. They need him at his best.