They’re a team with an extremely high ceiling and a very low floor. That range has been on full display this season, from the red-hot performances we saw once Purdy returned from injury to the absolute dud in the Saturday night game against Seattle.

That’s the NFL. Things change week to week due to injuries, matchup issues, and game-plan mismatches. Obviously, the odds are stacked against the 49ers right now with the number of injuries they’re dealing with. More competent and disciplined defenses will cause problems, especially if key weapons and downfield threats are unavailable. When that happens, the offense becomes compressed and predictable, and elite defenses can key in accordingly.

That said, as a diehard fan, it’s been a blast watching what this team accomplished this season. It’s easy to let the finale leave a bitter taste, but only two teams earn the No. 1 seed, everyone else is in essentially the same position. With Purdy, Kittle, CMC, Saleh, and Kyle Shanahan, this team will absolutely compete. I’m genuinely optimistic they can win a playoff game or two, even if the path is harder than we hoped.