The 49ers have receipts. They read all the stories. They listen to the radio, and they watch the morning TV shows.
Even after beating the Rams 20-7 on Sunday to improve to 5-0 on the season, 49ers defensive lineman DeForest Buckner had one word when asked who this team is: "Underdogs."
"We've been counted out ever since Day 1," Buckner told NFL Network's Steve Wyche after the game. "We're 5-0, and we just didn't let the outside talk get to us. We know what we're capable of, and everybody knows now."
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Buckner has embraced the underdog role ever since being disrespected this past summer. Buckner made his first Pro Bowl last season and was one of the best interior defensive lineman in all of football, as he recorded 12 sacks and, 17 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits.
And still he was left off the NFL Network's Top 100 players list.
"I mean, it’s just more fuel to the fire, you know what I’m saying?” Buckner said after the list was revealed.
San Francisco 49ers
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Through five games this season, Buckner has 21 tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass defensed and six quarterback hits.
The 49ers are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but Buckner and the rest of this group are just fine with you not believing in them. Keep talking about the rest of the league. You know, the teams with losses on their records.