Eagles schedule preview: the 49ers are terrible

On to Week 8 in our schedule preview, the 49ers. Week 7 is the second Redskins game, previously covered here.

Lost: S Antoine Bethea, DT Glenn Dorsey, K Phil Dawson, RB Shaun Draughn, QB Colin Kaepernick, QB Blaine Gabbert, WR Quinton Patton, QB Christian Ponder, WR Torrey Smith, WR Rod Streater

Added: QB Matt Barkley, LB Elvis Dumerville, G Brandon Fusco, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Marquise Goodwin, K Robbie Gould, RB Tim Hightower, QB Brian Hoyer, FB Kyle Juszczyk, DT Earl Mitchell, TE Logan Paulsen, WR Aldrick Robinson, LB Malcolm Smith,

Drafted: DE Solomon Thomas, LB Reuben Foster, CB Akhello Witherspoon, QB CJ Beathard, RB Joe Williams, TE George Kittle, WR Trent Taylor, DT DJ Jones, DE Pita Taumoepenu, CB Adrian Colbert

Why they’ll lose to the Eagles

Take your pick. This could be the worst team the Eagles face all season.

The 49ers were one of the worst teams in the league last year, their only two wins coming against the Rams. They’ve changed coaches and half the roster and should be improved, but it’s extremely difficult to see them suddenly become a good team in 2017. There is a lot of stink to wash off from the Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly years.

Their starting QB is Brian Hoyer. Kyle Juszczyk is going to get a lot of touches, or at the least they’re paying him to get a lot of touches. Shanahan has gotten good production out of his offensive lines, but the transformations aren’t overnight and the 49ers retain four starters from one of the worst lines in 2016.

On defense, the 49ers should see some improvement from not being of the field for over 80 plays a game, but they were abysmal at nearly everything in 2016 and did little to add veteran help. There’s a long way to go to fix this unit.

Additionally, they play in Philadelphia at 1pm, and west coast teams generally play poorly in early east coast games.

Why they’ll beat the Eagles

Kyle Shanahan is a strong play caller when his team is set up to his liking, and pretty much the entire 49ers offense has been overhauled with players that (should) fit his schemes. It’s not filled with talent, but at least the pieces are mostly the right shape. With the game being in the midpoint of the season, the 49ers should start to have the kinks of a new team worked out and some of the large number of draft picks should start to come into their own around then as well. The 49ers defensive line looks to be excellent, it’s the one thing really going for San Francisco. If the 49ers are going to win this game, it’s going to be by getting to Wentz early and often while the offense pulls out just enough stops. Any given Sunday and all that.

The Eagles will be coming off a Monday night game against the Redskins, and this will be the second of three straight home games before a bye. There’s a few ingredients of a “trap game” here.