The San Francisco 49ers are in the playoffs. Week 16 has been kind to them. There are a couple of outcomes from a seeding perspective, based on how Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts goes. Oddsmakers believe the 49ers are nearly a touchdown better than the Colts. We will see if it plays out that way.
Let’s act as if the Niners do win. San Francisco would move from No. 6 to No. 5, swapping with the Los Angeles Rams. The No. 5 seed will face the NFC South winner, at least as of today.
The Carolina Panthers, the current fifth seed, would need to beat the Seahawks in Week 17 and the Bucs in Week 18, while the Philadelphia Eagles would need to lose to the Bills next week and the Commanders in Week 18 to fall to the fourth seed.
The 49ers beating the Colts would also keep them on track for the No. 1 seed. As of now, some probabilities give San Francisco a 19 percent chance of obtaining the top seed in the NFC. As the team continues to win, those odds will keep increasing.
A loss in Week 16 means the 49ers drop to the sixth seed. That’s where most simulations project the 49ers to finish. Barring unlikely upsets, that would mean the Niners travel to Philadelphia in the Wild Card round.
The 49ers could lose this game and still secure the No. 1 seed. But for that to happen, you have to go deep down the playoff rabbit hole. The Niners could lose one game, but they’d need to win the two others. They’d also need the Seahawks to lose next week to the Panthers and for the Rams to slip up again against the Falcons or the Cardinals.
So, after tonight, the 49ers can move up a spot or stand pat in the sixth seed. During the next three weeks, the 49ers could be as high as the No. 1 seed or fall to the No. 7 seed. It’s going to be a wild ride.
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