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NFL schedule 2020: Biggest game for all 32 teams

By Mike Phillips

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to pass against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to pass against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020, in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020, in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

San Francisco 49ers: at New Orleans Saints

The San Francisco 49ers nearly completed a historic worst-to-first turnaround with their trip to Super Bowl LIV last season. The only reason the 49ers aren’t being mentioned with the 1999 Rams right now is that they blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs.

San Francisco has had its fair share of losses this offseason, watching Emmanuel Sanders leave in free agency while dealing DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the 13th pick in the draft. The good news is that the 49ers were able to retain key defenders like Arik Armstead and Jimmie Ward, retaining most of the nucleus from one of football’s best defenses.

Everything went right for the 49ers last season, who clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs and rode it to the Super Bowl. The prospect of going through the entire season to get back to that point once again is daunting, but the 49ers have a team capable of getting back to the Super Bowl.

The fate of the NFC could well come down to the matchup between the 49ers and the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. San Francisco won a thriller there last season, with George Kittle’s big effort on the final drive set up the 49ers for the winning field goal.

That game should once again be a key factor in the home-field race, and winning it would be a huge boost for San Francisco’s chances of repeating as NFC champions. If we were building the schedule right now this Saints-49ers matchup would be a contender for the most impactful game of the season.

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