Things are not exactly going according to plan for the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers entered the 2024 NFL campaign with championship aspirations, particularly after making it all the way to the Super Bowl last winter and suffering a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
San Francisco boasted what appeared to be the league's most talented roster heading into the season, so there incredibly lofty expectations for the squad.
However, the Niners have limped to a 5-5 record over their first 10 games and are tied with the Los Angeles Rams for second place in the NFC West.
That in spite of the Rams having gone 1-4 early on in the season (and funny enough, their lone win came against the 49ers).
So, is San Francisco doomed?
Former Niners star tight end Vernon Davis doesn't necessarily think all hope is lost as far as the team making the playoffs, but while speaking to DJ Siddiqi of SportsCasting.com, he did seem to indicate that the 49ers' best days may be behind them.
"I think there's a strong chance that they win the NFC West, especially with Christian McCaffrey back," Davis said. "But they're an example of what I tell everybody — every year is different. If you make it to the Super Bowl, you have to capitalize on that because next year is not promised."
The Super Bowl hangover is a real thing, too, and San Francisco is showing concrete evidence of that through the first couple of months of the season.
It also doesn't help that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is out for the year, and McCaffrey missed the first eight games with an Achilles injury.
"Their biggest problem is with the injuries," added Davis. "They had some of their best players go down. That's one of the biggest things — without talent, it's hard to do anything. They make up the team — not all of the team — but they add a lot of value."
Davis added that he feels "something turbulent" could be going on inside the front office and went as far to say that there could be a "glitch" that is preventing the Niners from advancement.
One thing is for sure: the 49ers are one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season, and their time to make a push is running out.
Meanwhile, the Rams have won four of their last five games and will see San Francisco again on Dec. 12.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Former 49ers Star Reveals Grim Reality for Rams' Bitter Rival.