San Francisco 49ers: 5 Reasons There Is No Need to Panic

A week ago, the San Francisco 49ers were the undisputed second-best team in the NFL. Now, after one ugly loss to one of the best teams in the league, there are questions by some people about the validity of the team's playoff chances.

Trust me, there is no need to panic.

The 49ers are still one of the top two or three teams in the NFL. Who knows what would have happened if the roles were reversed? What if the Baltimore Ravens had to come out to the West Coast a day before Thanksgiving and played in front of 65,000 screaming, ravenous fans at Candlestick Park?

The big questions surrounding the 49ers loss at Baltimore amount to a big pile of media fodder. The 49ers are the same team this week as they were a week ago, and one game doesn't change anything.

The 49ers Schedule Is Smooth Sailing from Here on Out.

The 49ers have endured one of the toughest schedules in the NFL so far this season. They were tasked with the unenviable challenge of going out to the East Coast five times this season; they won four out of those five contests. That in and of itself is a remarkable feat that hasn't been accomplished very often in the entire history of the NFL.

Things will get much easier for the 49ers for their final five games. Of the five remaining games, four come against divisional opponents. This is their remaining schedule:

• St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 4)
• San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals (Dec. 11)
• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 19)
• San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks (Dec. 24)
• San Francisco 49ers vs. St. Louis Rams (Jan. 1)

The biggest test is obviously when the Steelers come into town. The 49ers will likely have the division sewn up tight by then, though. It will be interesting to see how head coach Jim Harbaugh handles that game.

The 49ers Will Be Able to Get Healthy

Think about the loss against Baltimore. It was ugly. But remember this: The 49ers were without two key components on offense. 

Adam Snyder went out of the game in the second quarter. He is the offensive MVP of the 49ers, in my humble opinion. Additionally, the team was without starting fullback Bruce Miller.

In their places were fan "favorites" Chilo Rachal and Moran Norris. Both of these players will likely be cut after the season. They are both atrocious.

The latter part of this season will be a healing time for the team. Players like Snyder, Gore and anyone else who is banged up will be able to rest up for a week or two before the playoffs begin.

The 49ers should be able to hit the playoffs at full strength. 

The 49ers Will Be Humbled by the Latest Loss

The 49ers have had a number of mantras this season, and one of them has been "have humble hearts." The team may have needed the reminder while they were winning, but the Ravens have surely given them reason to feel humble.

Jim Harbaugh will have plenty of film to show his players. He has said this season that he wants things to suck for his team so they will keep striving for perfection. Well, they sucked after the loss to the Ravens.

The biggest thing that sucked was the lack of pass protection. I already covered some of the reasons why, but there is still much work to be done on top of getting healthy.

The 49ers need to get things figured out before they face a playoff team like the Packers on the road, or things will end up the same as they did on Thanksgiving night.

Alex Smith Is Still Playing Like an Elite Quarterback

The 49ers couldn't protect Alex Smith if their lives depended on it against the Ravens. Still, the Niners quarterback didn't completely fall apart. In fact, he managed to still have a decent completion percentage in that game.

For the season, Smith is doing everything the 49ers coaching staff has asked him to do. He shows excellent command in the pocket, making good decisions and protecting the football. On the season, Smith has only turned the ball over seven times, throwing five interceptions and losing two fumbles.

If the 49ers can give him protection, Smith has shown an ability to win games with his arm, something his critics are loathe to give him credit for. 

Make no mistake about it, Smith is still having a phenomenal year for the 49ers, and he will be needed to win some close games in the playoffs.

Jim Harbaugh Isn't Panicking, so Neither Should You

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh isn't worried about the team falling apart at the seams, so why are some fans?

If anything, Harbaugh is still chafing about a couple of calls that didn't go the 49ers way against the Ravens. He thinks they were only a couple of plays away from upsetting the Ravens on the road. You know what? I agree with the ball coach on this one.

Even though the 49ers were outmatched by a long shot on Thanksgiving night, they were still only a couple big calls that went the wrong way away from winning and extending the streak to nine straight games.

The 49ers will still secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC, behind the Green Bay Packers. The team will have a week off to prepare for their opponent as the wild cards duke it out. They will have at least one home game in the playoffs. 

There is no need to panic.