» 49ERS SCHEDULE HAS 5 PRIME TIME GAMES

SANTA CLARA — With a schedule featuring five primetime games and a season opener at Minnesota, the San Francisco 49ers now can map out their great escape from the NFC West cellar after three years.

So what awaits coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo?

— Among the five primetime games is the Raiders’ debut at Levi’s Stadium on Nov. 1 in each team’s allotted Thursday night game. Ten teams drew five prime-time kickoffs.

— The Minnesota Vikings, last season’s NFC runners-up, host the 49ers in a Sept. 9 season opener. (Numerology note: ‘9ers open on 9/9/18; numbers in Minneapolis’ 612 area code add up to 9).

— The Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs are the 49ers’ only opponents who made last season’s playoffs.

— Of the seven teams with a new coach, five are on the 49ers’ home schedule: the Raiders, the Arizona Cardinals, the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants.

— Three of the first four games are on the road, and the last time that happened, the 2012 49ers ended their season in the Super Bowl.

— Their strength of schedule is tied for the 15th-most challenging based on opponents’ 2017 records (128-128, .500), but it’s the easiest among the NFC West teams.

The 2018 regular-season schedule (times PT, TV):

Sept. 9, at Minnesota Vikings (10 a.m., FOX): Running back Jerick McKinnon returns to where he launched his NFL career the past four seasons. Oh, there’s also that Kirk Cousins/Jimmy Garoppolo/Kyle Shanahan love-triangle storyline.

Sept. 16, vs. Detroit Lions (1:05 p.m., FOX): This is the Lions’ first visit to Levi’s Stadium. They lost their final 12 trips to Candlestick Park, dating back to 1977.

Sept. 23, at Kansas City Chiefs (10 a.m., FOX): Patrick Mahomes, Alex Smith’s replacement, has the arm strength to really test the 49ers’ secondary.

Sept. 30, at Los Angeles Chargers (1:25 p.m., CBS): Time to visit the Chargers’ temporary home, the StubHub Center, and face Anthony Lynn, the first coach the 49ers interviewed last year before hiring Kyle Shanahan.

Oct. 7, vs. Arizona Cardinals (1:25 p.m., FOX): The 49ers haven’t beaten the Cardinals since the 2014 season finale, and this meeting offers a quality shot at ending that sixgame streak.

Oct. 15, at Green Bay Packers (5:15 p.m., ESPN): Ah, “Monday Night Football” in the fall in Lambeau Field. Last time the 49ers were there, they won a January 2014, sub-zero playoff game with a former NFL quarterback named Colin Kaepernick.

Oct. 21, vs. Los Angeles Rams (5:20 p.m., NBC): Holding serve at home is a vital step in the 49ers’ path to unseat the Rams atop the NFC West.

Oct. 28, at Arizona Cardinals (1:25 p.m., FOX): New coach Steve Wilks and new quarterback Sam Bradford host the 49ers, who lost 18-15 in overtime last season at Arizona in Week 4.

Nov. 1, vs. Raiders (5:20 p.m., NFLN): This will be Levi’s Stadium’s one and only “Battle of the Bay” before the Raiders flee for Las Vegas in 2020. After this, the 49ers break for their bye.

Nov. 12, vs. New York Giants (5:15 p.m., ESPN): The 49ers snapped their 0-9 start.and beat the Giants 31-21 last Nov. 12 at Levi’s Stadium. What is this, an anniversary special? Can Eli Manning win this time with new coach Pat Shurmur?

Nov. 25, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10 a.m., FOX): Kyle Shanahan’s got his NFL coaching start in Tampa as Jon Gruden’s quality control coach in 2004-05.

Dec. 2, at Seattle Seahawks (5:20 p.m., NBC): Richard Sherman’s return will hog the spotlight as the 49ers seek their first win in Seattle since 2011. The Seahawks have won the past nine meetings.

Dec. 9, vs. Denver Broncos (1:05 p.m., CBS): The Broncos have 10 of 22 starters left from when they won Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in February 2016.

Dec. 16, vs. Seattle Seahawks (1:05 p.m., FOX): Russell Wilson is 4-0 at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers’ all-time starters there: Colin Kaepernick 6-11, Blaine Gabbert 3-4, Brian Hoyer 0-2, C.J. Beathard 1-3 and Jimmy Garoppolo 2-0.

Dec. 23, vs. Chicago Bears (1:05 p.m., FOX): Jimmy Garoppolo won his 49ers starting debut at Chicago in 15-14 fashion on Dec. 3, and this encore effort will come at Levi’s Stadium.

Dec. 30, at Los Angeles Rams (1:25 p.m., FOX): This is the second straight season these NFC West rivals close the regular season at the Coliseum, where the 49ers are 2-0 since the Rams returned to Los Angeles.