It was never going to be a quick fix for the San Francisco 49ers but Chip Kelly has done a good job so far at keeping the supporters on his side. In their opening fixture of the new…

season, the 49ers thrashed the Los Angeles Rams – a result that sent shockwaves across the National Football League.

And while Kelly’s side conceded 46 points against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers last weekend, there are plenty of reasons for the Levi’s Stadium crowd to be optimistic ahead of what could be a much improved campaign.

Last season, the 49ers struggled to inspire confidence as they won just five matches; a poor record that ultimately cost Jim Tomsula his job as head coach. After his departure, the 49ers decided to take a risk and trust Chip Kelly – the man who single-handedly ruined the Philadelphia Eagles – to take over at the helm.

And his appointment has, in the short term at least, turned out to be a stroke of genius. Kelly has turned Blaine Gabbert into a competent quarterback and the 49ers actually look threating on offense; something that couldn’t be said of Tomsula’s unit in 2015...

Nowadays, the NFC West is arguably the most competitive division in the NFL and the 49ers haven’t won the crown since 2012. Whilst it may seem a little far-fetched to claim that San Francisco could win the divisional title this time around, they aren’t a million miles off the playoffs; especially if the Seattle Seahawks continue to struggle on offense.

As of September 22nd, the 49ers are priced at 25/1 to win the NFC West with Betway – and plenty of NFL punters may be tempted to place a bet at that price following their encouraging start to the season. And with Carlos Hyde still finding his feet, Kelly’s offense will only improve further as a potent running game develops.

Defensively, the 49ers have their weaknesses but they did move quickly in the 2016 NFL Draft to fill a few glaring needs. Chip Kelly used his tried and tested method to select yet another Oregon star – although seventh-overall pick DeForest Buckner was a key figure at defensive end for the Ducks throughout his college career.

In addition, San Francisco opted to select two cornerbacks; Will Redmond from Mississippi State and Rashard Robinson from LSU – and both could be key components of Kelly’s defensive unit given time. If nothing else, the re-build job is going well and the 49ers have a plethora of young talent on their roster.

The 49ers are one of the National Football League’s oldest and most decorated franchises and Chip Kelly could be the man to take them back to where they belong – the Super Bowl. It could take two years, it could take five years but Kelly seems to have found his home in San Francisco and the signs are promising to say the least. Watch this space – it’s onwards and upwards for the 49ers now...