Why San Francisco 49ers Are Poised to Ruin Dream Year with Early Playoff Exit

The San Francisco 49ers shocked everyone this season by running away with the NFC West and compiling a 13-3 record en route to the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. While Jim Harbaugh's team will be sitting at home this weekend waiting to see who will have to travel to San Francisco to play it next week, the 49ers should not rest on their laurels.

Since a 16-6 Week 12 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco has been nowhere near as dominant as the team that bolted out to a 9-1 start. While the Niners won three straight to end the season, two of those victories came against the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams, and both were close games. 

In all likelihood, the 49ers will host the New Orleans Saints in the second round, and despite an outstanding season in San Francisco, I see almost no way they can beat Drew Brees' team.

While quarterback Alex Smith has had a great bounce-back year and has turned himself into a viable NFL quarterback, San Francisco ranks 29th in the league in passing offense, averaging just 183.5 yards per game. And while the team's run defense has been the NFL's best (allowing just 77.3 yards per game), its pass defense ranks just 16th, allowing 230.9 yards per game.

Neither of those numbers will be good enough against New Orleans. The Saints can score on anyone, they have the NFL's top-ranked offense (averaging 467.1 yards per game), top-ranked passing offense (334.2 yards per game) and sixth-ranked rushing offense (132.9 yards per game). New Orleans is also scoring 34.2 points per game, which ranks second in the league.

To beat the Saints, the 49ers will have to score points, and they will have to throw the football. I just don't see it happening. 

San Francisco has had one of the more remarkable seasons in the league, but it could be dispatched from the playoffs quickly, particularly if it faces Brees and the Saints.