The 49ers were able to enter their bye week on a high after getting their first victory of the season over the Giants.
Now at 1-9, they get back to work, looking for victory No. 2, against the ailing Seattle Seahawks this Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. The Seahawks are 6-3, but have lost some key players, particularly All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman and stellar safety Kam Chancellor. Oddsmakers have made the 49ers early 7-point underdogs.
Yet despite being 1-9 and projected to fall even further after this Sunday’s game, the 49ers have seemed remarkably buoyant and positive.
First-year head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have taken a long view of this season, hoping to establish a foundation they can build on, rather than focusing on the standings. Shanahan was happy to get his first win as a head coach, but says that’s just the first of many goals this season and for the future.
“I got that monkey off my back,” Shanahan told Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. “Now I have to get my second one or that will eventually be a monkey, too. That was just one win, but it definitely felt good and we worked hard for it. That’s not what our goal was. We’ve got a lot of goals ahead of us.”
Over the bye week, several 49ers players – including veteran tackle Joe Staley and tight end Garret Celek – talked about how the team continues to have good chemistry, a positive mindset and a strong work ethic, even in the face of adversity. Both believe the team will continue to battle and improve over the final six games. Said Celek, to Wagoner: “The types of guys that are in the locker room that John and Kyle brought in are so tight.”
Shanahan hopes the 49ers can build on their first victory and play another strong game against the Seahawks.
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“I hope we can come back … and be better from it and continue to get better throughout the year,” he said. “And I hope that leads into something for next year.”
The 49ers-Seahawks game Sunday is set to kick off at 1:05 p.m.
