Why San Francisco 49ers Will Be the NFL's Biggest Heartbreak Team

The San Francisco 49ers are in unprecedented waters, as it seems to be a perfect storm of pieces falling into place. There aren't many franchises who are able to orchestrate a turnaround of this magnitude, especially with very little changes to the roster.

San Francisco is finding this success with a rookie head coach, a thought-to-be washed up quarterback and an injury-prone running back. This usually isn't the recipe for a team to have a major turnaround. However, Jim Harbaugh has found a way to get the most out of his players.

It would be easy to discount the 49ers success, many will point to their presence in the terrible NFC West. However, they have only played one divisional game, the rest coming against some pretty stiff competition. The 49ers have pulled off impressive road victories against the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions.

This early season success has really raised the expectations for this football team. Many feel they are capable of making a run at the Super Bowl. This optimism is a far cry from what the expectations were at the beginning of the season.

The expectations weren't very high, as the 49ers were breaking in a rookie coach and hadn't made any big roster changes. Most people felt it was a mistake to bring back quarterback Alex Smith, who has done nothing but disappoint. However, both Harbaugh and Smith have found a way to win football games.

However, I don't see the 49ers as a real threat to compete for a Super Bowl title. They have plenty of talent, but just don't seem to have the offensive firepower needed to play for a championship. Their lack of offensive production is what will ultimately break the heart of their fan base.

San Francisco will win their division, earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC and host a home playoff game. However, the raised expectations will make it Super Bowl or bust.