This has been kind of a weird year in the NFL. Teams no one expected to be competitive are playing really well. Several of the teams the so-called experts, talking heads (LOL), thought would be at the top are not.
Some teams decimated by injuries. Although this time of year every team has several injured/ailing players. So injuries are no excuse, next man up as they say. Thing is "next man up" does not always equal "production". In many cases it's more like, next body up. LOL
Only a few teams seem to truly understand that whole "next man up" thing. In that, their GM's know how to draft and/or acquire talent. That's the part I truly respect about John Lynch (49ers GM). I think he is, perhaps, the best GM in the NFL. Not only was he a beast of a player, won a SB and is a HOFer, he knows and understand players, and recognizes talented/gifted players. Their 12-4 record says it all. And coach Shanahan is, perhaps, the best mind in football.
Wouldn't surprise me if the 49ers go "all the way" this year.