49ers season forecast

The Bee’s Matthew Barrows breaks down the 49ers’ season, week by week:

WEEK 1: Sept. 9, at Green Bay, 1:25 p.m., FOX40 Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense have bombarded the 49ers the past two times they visited Green Bay. This will be a strength-vs.-strength matchup, but Rodgers is too good and has too many weapons for the 49ers to keep pace. Loss (0-1)

WEEK 2: Sept. 16, vs. Detroit, 5:25 p.m., Ch. 3 Brace yourself for handshake hysteria. This is a rematch of last year’s volatile game, which the 49ers won on a late touchdown pass to Delanie Walker. The 49ers are the superior team, and the home-field advantage should push them to a more comfortable victory than last year. Win (1-1)

WEEK 3: Sept. 23, at Minnesota, 10 a.m., FOX40 With Adrian Peterson back in the Vikings lineup, this game should show whether the 49ers’ run defense is as ironclad as it was in 2011. The rebuilding Vikings will put up a fight, but this is a game the 49ers should win. Win (2-1)

WEEK 4: Sept. 30, at N.Y. Jets, 10 a.m., FOX40 For the second consecutive year, the 49ers will spend a week in Youngstown, Ohio, before an East Coast game. Expect a low-scoring contest against a Jets team with a stingy defense and a dingy offense. Will Tim Tebow be running it? Win (3-1)

WEEK 5: Oct. 7, vs. Buffalo, 1:25 p.m., Ch. 13 The Bills bring a revamped defense that features newcomer Mario Williams and an offense that liberally uses four-receiver formations. The 49ers’ nickel and dime defenses promise to see plenty of action. Win (4-1)

WEEK 6: Oct. 14, vs. N.Y. Giants, 1:25 p.m., FOX40 It won’t be as sweet as winning the NFC Championship Game, but a victory over the Giants will go a long way toward removing the bitter taste that’s lingered in the 49ers’ mouths since Jan. 22. The Victor Cruz-Carlos Rogers matchup will be key once again. Expect a lot of Kyle Williams-theme stories. Win (5-1)

WEEK 7: Oct. 18, vs. Seattle, 5:20 p.m., NFL The potential headline, “T.O. returns to the Bay Area,” has been averted with Owens’ release by the Seahawks. Still, there are plenty of ex-49ers in Seattle and a head coach, Pete Carroll, with a deep and growing history with Jim Harbaugh. It all makes for compelling drama. Win (6-1)

WEEK 8: Oct. 29, at Arizona, 5:30 p.m., ESPN The Cardinals handed the 49ers their only division loss last year, and they did it at home with big plays in the passing game. Arizona’s pass protection already seems wobbly, however, and keeping John Skelton or Kevin Kolb or (fill in name) upright will be a challenge. Win (7-1)

WEEK 9: Bye

WEEK 10: Nov. 11, vs. St. Louis, 1:25 p.m., FOX40 Beat up in 2011, the Rams will win the most-improved award this year. The 49ers long have had trouble with Chris Long and the St. Louis pass rush. But it’s hard to see a recharged 49ers team losing this one at home. Win (8-1)

WEEK 11: Nov. 19, vs. Chicago, 5:30 p.m., ESPN Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall are a dangerous pair. And Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs want to prove that they’re the top inside linebacker duo in the NFL. But the 49ers are playing their fifth home game in the last six contests, and they’re on a hot streak. Win (9-1)

WEEK 12: Nov. 25, at New Orleans, 1:25 p.m., FOX40 On a short week, the 49ers travel to New Orleans to play a Saints team still smarting from their playoff loss in January. The 49ers are on a nine-game winning streak, but it ends at the hand of Drew Brees in the Big Easy. Loss (9-2)

WEEK 13: Dec. 2, at St. Louis, 10 a.m., FOX 40 The 49ers return to the banks of the Mississippi for the second consecutive week. The Rams always play the 49ers tough at home, and Steven Jackson and company emerge from this one with a narrow win. Loss (9-3)

WEEK 14: Dec. 9, vs. Miami, 1:05 p.m., Ch. 13 The best cure for a two-game losing streak? Playing a Dolphins team led by a rookie quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, at home in December. The 49ers get back to basics by running roughshod over the Dolphins defense. Win (10-3)

WEEK 15: Dec. 16, at New England, 5:20 p.m., Ch. 3 A potential Super Bowl matchup? That’ll be the headline as the 49ers set out on the longest trip they can make to an NFL city. Harbaugh will have them primed for the game, and they’ll emerge with a win that cements all the Super Bowl talk during the offseason. Win (11-3)

WEEK 16: Dec. 23, at Seattle, 1:25 p.m., FOX40 The Seahawks and good-looking rookie quarterback Russell Wilson still have a glimmer of a hope for the playoffs. And they take advantage of a weary 49ers team still coming down from the high of their victory against the Patriots. Loss (11-4)

WEEK 17: Dec. 30, vs. Arizona, 1:25 p.m., FOX40 The 49ers have their playoff berth wrapped up, and starters like Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Frank Gore make only cameo appearances. The 49ers lose, but who cares? Their sights are on the playoffs. Loss (11-5)

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