The 49ers smashed the hapless Cincinnati Bengals into dust on Sunday. With a whopping 259 yards on the ground, they ran roughshod over a lackluster defense that had clearly given up at halftime. Matt Brieda, an undrafted runner with speedy wheels and excellent vision, averaged over 10 yards a carry! Jimmy Garoppolo improved over his week one output with 297 yards and 3 touchdowns. The much ballyhooed 49ers defensive line, filled with first rounders, held Cincinnati to a pitiful 25 yards on 19 attempts.

So, the question on everyone’s mind is, are the 49ers good? Opening 2-0 on the season for the first time since their last Super Bowl run in 2012, they appear to be poised for a breakout year. But with the past few years being unmitigated disasters, one could see why fans would be a little cautious with their expectations.

Matt Brieda made the Bengals look silly

Let’s start with the player that gave 49ers fans an electrifying jolt of excitement in 2017, Jimmy Garoppolo. His poor week one game was a cause for concern for many people, including me. Coming off a dismal preseason, he looked skittish and didn’t see the field very well. Against the Bengals, aside from one horrendous interception (when you have a 5’9″ receiver in quadruple coverage, you just have to take that chance apparently), Garoppolo executed the and managed the game. He did nothing particularly spectacular, but he hit the open receivers and moved the ball down the field.

The defense looks to be finally living up to their potential. With multiple first rounders along the line and a mixture of savvy veterans and promising young players in the back end, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s unit is showing flashes of dominance. The big boys up front are clogging running lanes and getting after the passer. Rookie defensive end Nick Bosa is constantly in the backfield disrupting plays. DeForest Buckner, after a rough game in week one, bounced back with a sack and a few QB hits as well. Solid contributors like Arik Armstead, Solomon Thomas, and Ronald Blair made their marks in the run game (Blair in particular had a monster game). Linebacker Kwon Alexander might be one of the best free agency pickups of the offseason. He dashed around the field making plays in coverage and got his nose in the run game as well.

Most importantly for this team, Kyle Shanahan is a playcalling wizard. If you want to see one game that displays his mastery of offensive scheming, watch this one. His play that schemed open Marquise Goodwin for a first quarter touchdown was a specimen of beauty. I’ve heard the whispering from certain fans that maybe he should be on the hot seat, but to me, that is absolutely ridiculous. The team has underwhelmed since his hiring in 2017, but the lack of talent on the past few rosters has shouldered more blame than Shanahan. He’s consistently schemed receivers open and coaxed mediocre passers like CJ Beathard and Nick Mullens into putting up decent numbers. Now that he’s got a solid offensive line, a competent quarterback, and a defense finally living up to its potential, maybe this is the year the 49ers take the next step.

Jimmy G and Kyle Shanahan have the offense in sync

With all that being said, they’ve played two mediocre to bad teams and its still early in the season. And, longtime star left tackle Joe Staley suffered a broken fibula against Cincinnati and is out for a few months. But, with a much improved roster and the return of Jimmy Garoppolo from 2018’s season-ending ACL tear, the 49ers will be playing meaningful football into December. They are a team that can compete for a wildcard spot in the playoffs if a few things go their way and they stay healthy. They take on the 0-2 Pittsburgh Steelers hungry for a win in the Niners’ home opener this Sunday and I can’t wait to see how they respond. Will they continue to dominate these mediocre teams, or is this just a flash in the pan?