49ers Picked To Return To The Super Bowl First By Analyst In Debate, Because ‘You Can’t Game Plan’ For Defense

The San Francisco 49ers have a good chance of getting back to the Super Bowl before the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Nate Burleson. He believes it is harder for a team to prepare for a standout defense than it is to prepare for a stellar offense. Burleson’s comments were in the minority among a Thursday panel he took part in as part of Good Morning Football, according to David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.

The panel began with host Kay Adams asking several different analysts who they thought would make it back to the Super Bowl first. Among those asked was 49ers running back Raheem Mostert, who believed his team had the best chance of going back first. He said he expects them to go back to the championship but win it this time around.

“I feel like we’re going to be back this year,” Mostert said. “We’re actually going to win it. That’s our goal; that’s our mindset. We don’t care what happened in the past. The past is the past, and we’re going to move on, and we’re going to dominate this game the way we know how to.”

Two of Adams’ three co-hosts believed the Chiefs are going to get there before the 49ers. One of those hosts, Peter Schrager credited both squads with largely keeping their rosters and coaching staff intact. He then said it was quite a bit harder to make a return after losing.

Another analyst, Kyle Brandt said he didn’t think the 49ers were even the favorites to win the NFC West in 2020. He agreed it was hard to make a repeat appearance when a franchise is on the losing side and noted it’s especially hard when they’re in a division as tough as the 49ers are in.

Burleson was the only analyst of the group who picked them to get back to the Super Bowl before the defending champs. Burleson was also the only analyst who didn’t also play for the 49ers.

“The one thing that you can’t game plan for is a dominant defense,” he explained.

He added that you might be able to prepare for Pat Mahomes. He said he knows some think that would be a reach. But, he continued, you can’t get ready in any real way for getting beat up week in and week out.

He added that if the defense that spent most of 2019 as one of the best in the NFL returns and plays the same way it did last year, in 2020, he believes the 49ers are going to be able to ride it all the way to the top.