The 49ers have suffered the biggest schedule disadvantage of the 2023 NFL season, but on Sunday they will finally enjoy another break.
San Francisco’s Week 13 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday will be the 49ers’ second and final game, with a residual advantage in all 17 games. Their Week 4 win over the Arizona Cardinals followed a few extra days of rest following a 30-12 win over the New York Giants on “Thursday Night Football” the previous week.
The 49ers’ second game on Thursday night, a win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thanksgiving, allows them to travel to Philadelphia with a few more days of rest than the Eagles. This could be an even more notable advantage after Philadelphia’s defense was on the field for a whopping 92 snaps in their overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
The extra rest the 49ers enjoyed after returning from the Pacific Northwest is an anomaly for them, but not for their opponents. San Francisco’s 2023 schedule included or will include four games against opponents who have had their bye week: Week 6 (vs. Cleveland Browns), Week 8 (vs. Cincinnati Bengals), Week 10 (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars), and Week 15 (vs. against Arizona Cardinals). All but Week 8 are away games, requiring the 49ers to travel at a disadvantage in addition to the rest.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the 49ers upon their return from Philadelphia, as they will host a more rested Seahawks team on Sunday that played the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in Week 13.
In Week 16, the 49ers have a short week after their Monday Night Football contest with the Baltimore Ravens at Levi’s Stadium on Christmas. The following week, the 49ers will travel across the country again to face the Washington Commanders on New Year’s Eve. The game is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PT.
An article by Sharp Football Analysis written after the NFL schedule was released in late May explained the disparity between all 32 NFL teams and the amount of rest they would receive. Their formula shows the 49ers have a residual disadvantage of 26 days rest, the highest in the league, making their schedule the most demanding. In contrast, the New York Jets, Chicago Bears and Commanders have the biggest advantage when it comes to player rest.
There are more factors that influence a team’s success besides schedule, but it makes a difference. Short weeks can prevent a player from suiting up for a game, as the 49ers saw with offensive lineman Spencer Burford in Week 12 and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in Week 3 – both contests on Thursday night.
The 49ers may have more rest heading into Philadelphia, but they’ll need more than that to defeat the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The locker room and coaching staff are well aware of the task ahead, and while San Francisco took advantage of the additional three days off, it is relying on other things to leave the East Coast with a win in Week 13.
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast