After reaching the NFC Championship Game last year, optimism is high around the San Francisco 49ers heading into the 2022 season. 

The 2021 campaign got off to a rough start, as the 49ers were 3-5 after their first eight games. They closed the regular season with a 7-2 record to make the playoffs for the second time in three years.

San Francisco went on to defeat the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers before falling 20-17 to the Los Angeles Rams. That loss likely signaled the end of one era and start of another in the Bay Area. 

Jimmy Garoppolo, the team's starting quarterback for the past four seasons, essentially gave a farewell press conference on Feb. 1. 

"Faithful, thank you very much for everything," he said. "It’s been crazy, man. Just all the comebacks at Levi’s, comebacks on the road, ups and downs, it’s been a hell of a ride, guys. I love you guys. See ya."

The 49ers indicated their long-term future would be without the 30-year-old when they traded up to select Trey Lance with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

The North Dakota State product played sporadically as a rookie, making two starts in games when Garoppolo was injured. 

San Francisco's attempts to trade Garoppolo at the start of the offseason were complicated by a number of factors. He underwent shoulder surgery in March to repair an injury he suffered in the playoff victory over the Cowboys. 

In the wake his surgery, seemingly every other quarterback-needy team found another solution in a trade. Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz, Deshaun Watson and Matt Ryan were all traded. Aaron Rodgers returned to the Packers. Tom Brady retired for a few weeks before deciding he wanted to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers again. 

Now, the 49ers are in a situation where they could go into training camp this summer with Garoppolo and Lance on their roster.

The rest of San Francisco's roster is set, as it looks to surpass the Rams in the NFC West and compete for a championship. 

Head coach Kyle Shanahan is arguably the best play-designer and play-caller in the league. Deebo Samuel—who was the subject of trade speculation this offseason but is still on the team—turned into the most unique offensive weapon in the NFL last year with 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns. 

George Kittle is the best all-around tight end in the league, and Brandon Aiyuk overcame a slow start to finish with 826 receiving yards and five touchdowns in his second season. 

The defense, which finished ninth in points allowed, upgraded in the secondary with the signing of free agent Charvarius Ward. 

James Palmer @JamesPalmerTV

Lowest Comp Pct Allowed in Coverage<br>Since 2019, PFF<br> <br>KC Charvarius Ward 49.8<br>NE J.C. Jackson 51.7<br>LV Casey Hayward 52.3<br>GB Jaire Alexander 53.8<br>CLE Denzel Ward 54.1<br><br>The 49ers allowed a 68.3 opponent comp pct in 2021 (29th in the NFL)

As long as the 49ers can figure out what they are going to do at quarterback, they are as good as any team in the NFC heading into the new season. 

With the NFL officially unveiling the 2022 regular-season schedule, here is the slate of opponents the 49ers will be playing. 

2022 San Francisco 49ers Schedule

San Francisco 49ers @49ers

Fight for what is ours. <a href="">#FTTB</a> | <a href="">@Adobe</a> <a href="">

The schedule-makers did not do the 49ers any favors as they try to make the playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons. 

The 49ers have to play the AFC West and NFC South. The gauntlet of quarterbacks in those two divisions include Brady, Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), Russell Wilson (Denver Broncos) and Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders). 

Even though San Francisco does have to contend with Wilson in 2022, the benefit of him not being with the Seattle Seahawks anymore means it only has to play him once during the regular season instead of twice. 

The Seahawks, which have long been the 49ers' primary rival, are rebuilding for the first time in over a decade. The rest of the NFC West still looks incredibly strong. The Rams are the Super Bowl champions and returned most of their key players. 

The Arizona Cardinals had plenty of offseason drama centered around the relationship between key members of the organization and Kyler Murray, but the two sides appear to be in a more amicable place now. 

For most of the 2021 season, Arizona looked like the best team in the NFC West. It was the league's last undefeated team (7-0), swept the season series against the 49ers and made the playoffs before getting trucked, 34-11, in the wild-card round by the Rams.

The NFC West was the only division in the NFL that sent three teams to the playoffs last season. That could well end up being the case again, given how strong the Rams, 49ers and Cardinals look on paper. 

Pivotal Matchups

If the 49ers want to judge themselves against the best teams in the league, there are no shortage of options to pick from. 

The Rams ended San Francisco's season en route to winning the Super Bowl. Their victory in the NFC Championship Game snapped the Niners' six-game winning streak against their division rival dating back to 2019. 

If the Rams aren't considered the favorites in the NFC, it's only because Brady's track record of success gives the Buccaneers a slight edge. He erased a 27-3 deficit against Los Angeles in the divisional round, but Matt Gay's 30-yard field goal as time expired allowed the Rams to escape with a win. 

San Francisco has lost three of its last four games against the Cardinals. Its best chance of competing for a division title is being able to take care of business against NFC West competition. 

All four matchups against AFC West teams should be marquee contests. There's also the return of Mike McDaniel, who is now head coach of the Miami Dolphins after spending the past five years as an assistant on Shanahan's staff. 

The Dolphins aren't going to be a pushover after adding Tyreek Hill as a playmaker and Terron Armstead to boost their offensive line. 

If the 49ers are going to make the playoffs in 2022, they are absolutely going to earn it with the schedule they have to go up against.