If you weren't already on the San Francisco 49ers hype train after their dismantling win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5 or their convincing victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6, or even their win over the Redskins in which they didn't even score a touchdown in Week 7, Sunday showed that the 49ers are for real.
Granted, it took me a while to be convinced that the 49ers were anything more than a solid team feasting on the league's bottom feeders, but their win over Cleveland swayed me otherwise.
Since then, I have been impressed in every subsequent game the Niners have played, with Sunday's dominant win over the previously unbeaten Kyle Allen-led Carolina Panthers proving they are a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
At this point, San Francisco should be among the favorites to win it all, if not the favorite. The 49ers have proven they have enough talent to go deep into the postseason as their defense has been nothing short of stellar and their offensive line has made former backups like Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida into rushing monsters.
This Kyle Shanahan-led offense has been rolling opponents so far this season while becoming the run heaviest offense in the league. San Francisco runs the ball more than 57 percent of the time, as the threat of the run has allowed the team to virtually do whatever they want on offense due to keeping the defenses guessing.
Although quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has not been able to take over games with his arm, he has done what has been asked of him. The former Patriot has a higher QBR than the guy who is currently leading New England at the moment, and considering the kind of games the Niners have been in, Garoppolo has had no need to throw the ball late in the fourth.
Shanahan is a great offensive mind that has proven himself to be among the league's top coaches, but it is his defense that has brought San Francisco to 7-0.
The defensive line has been a problem for every team that they have faced and with good reason, as they boast multiple first-round picks upfront. The Niners' secondary has been just as impressive as they have been able to hold opposing quarterbacks to an average of 128 passing yards per game.
The 49ers have been slowly building this force of a team for years now but with a capable quarterback under center, a dominant defense, and a rushing attack that has yet to be matched by any team this season, expect to see them playing in February.
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