Finished: 1st Place in the NFC West; Lost in the NFC Championship Game
2012 Draft Position: 30th
Preseason Ranking: 30
Week 1: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 33-17
Ranked - 8
Two late return touchdowns made this game look like a blow-out, but the 49ers were close to blowing a fourth quarter lead against the Seahawks. A win is a win, but until the NFC West teams start defeating powers in the other divisions, these kinds of victories will remain necessary, but hollow.
Week 2: Lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-24
Ranked - 12
The 49ers. The best team in the NFC West. That isn’t saying much. A total collapse against Dallas on Sunday can't do much for their confidence, either, with the latest reports that Romo beat them with broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Week 3: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 13-8
Ranked - 8
Note to self: Now you are following in Walsh's footsteps. He beat the Bengals twice, you know. Signed, Jim Harbaugh.
Week 4: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-23
Ranked - 8
A huge comeback win over the Eagles, combined with the overall ineptness of the other NFC West teams has the 49ers suddenly believing in themselves.
Week 5: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-3
Ranked - 4
The 49ers completely demolished the upstart Bucs last weekend. San Francisco looks like they are finally coming into their own, although this is a year later than expected.
Week 6: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 25-19
Ranked - 3 Indiana Jones Style Recap
[At dinner following the explosive ending to the San Francisco-Detroit game]
Coach Jim Harbaugh: How odd that it should end this way for us after so many stimulating encounters. I almost regret it. Where shall I find a new adversary so close to my own level?
Coach Jim Schwartz: Try the local sewer.
Week 7: BYE WEEK
Ranked - 2
The 49ers aren’t there yet, but as the best team in the NFC West they are definitely well on their way.
Week 8: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 20-10
Ranked - 2
The 49ers are playing well and would be undefeated but for their early season mental lapse against the Cowboys.
Week 9: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 19-11
Ranked - 2
Undefeated on the East Coast, the 49ers are rising above the muck that is the NFC West.
Week 10: Defeated the New York Giants, 27-20
Ranked - 2
San Francisco will be the first team to clinch a division title. Now they need to focus on gaining home field advantage throughout the playoffs, because nobody wants to play at Lambeau in January.
Week 11: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 23-7
Ranked - 2
San Francisco is playing solid football and, with the division all but wrapped up, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs should be their goal the remainder of the regular season.
Week 12: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 16-6
Ranked - 6
The 49ers looked out-of-sorts last Thursday for the first time all season. In the NFC West, they should be fine, but one-and-done in the playoffs certainly looks like a more realistic possibility now.
Week 13: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 26-0
Ranked - 2
San Francisco probably won't be able to catch Green Bay for the best overall record in the NFC, but they should keep hold of their bye-week positioning.
Week 14: Lost at the Arizona Cardinals, 21-19
Ranked - 7
Two losses in the last three weeks have hurt the 49ers. A trip to Pittsburgh should do little to help them recover their early-season form.
Week 15: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-3
Ranked - 4
I'm still not sold on the 49ers being able to defeat either the Saints or the Packers. Realistically, for them to reach the Super Bowl, they will have to beat them both.
Week 16: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 19-17
Ranked - 3
A win over the hapless Rams is all the 49ers need to clinch a first-round bye.
Week 17: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 34-27
Ranked - 3
The 49ers better pull the game film for the recent Chiefs-Packers game and make note of everything Kansas City did to derail the defending champs. San Francisco will need every one of those tricks if they are to have any chance of knocking off the Saints and the Packers. Chances are they will have to defeat both - or at least one - of those elite teams in order to get to the Super Bowl.
Wild Card Round: BYE WEEK
Ranked - 4
This weekend we will get to see just how good the 49ers defense really is. If they can hold Brees and Co to less than 24 points, San Francisco will have a chance to advance to their first championship game since the '90s.
Divisional Round: Defeated the New Orleans Saints, 36-32
Ranked - 2
San Francisco has gone back to the basics of fundamental football and the 49ers sit just one game away from another Super Bowl appearance. If their defense can frustrate the Giants like their offense might be frustrated by the Giants' defense, we could be in for a scintillating 6-3 game.
Championship Round: Lost to the New York Giants, 20-17
Final Ranking: 3
Season recaps close out next week with the Super Bowl XLVI teams, starting with the 2011 AFC Champion New England Patriots...
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