The San Francisco 49ers had a bye week this week, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t action in the NFC playoff standings.
The 49ers moved up one spot to No. 6 after the Chicago Bears dropped from No. 1 to No. 7 due to their loss to the Green Bay Packers. They’re still third in the NFC West, as the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams both won, improving their records to 10-3.
Still, the path for the 49ers to make the playoffs just cleared up after what happened in Week 14.
First up, San Francisco faces off against the 2-11 Tennessee Titans this week in a must-win game. Yes, the 49ers are heavy favorites and should win the game, but it’s crucial they come out strong and get to 10-4 with three weeks left in the season.
After that, though? They travel for their final road game of the season, facing the Indianapolis Colts, who have lost three straight since starting 8-2. Well, Indy’s season took a turn for the worst on Sunday, as starting quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles and will be out for the season.
That prompted the Colts to go to rookie Riley Leonard at quarterback, who threw for 145 yards on 18 of 29 passing. Barring any unforeseen circumstances with Anthony Richardson’s rehab, it seems Leonard is on track to start against the 49ers in Week 16 when the two teams meet on Monday Night Football.
While the Colts are still a formidable opponent, and that game will be on the road, the 49ers would improve to 11-4 with a win there, and I’d assume they’re favored going into that one with Leonard starting. 11 wins should guarantee you a playoff spot in the NFC.
Looking at the competition in the conference, the Bears, sitting at 9-4, are the No. 7 seed. They still have the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, 49ers, and Detroit Lions. That’s a pretty tough schedule.
Detroit, sitting at 8-5, is the first team out of the playoffs. They still have the Rams, Steelers, Vikings, and Bears. Beyond that, the Carolina Panthers sit two games out of the No. 7 seed, while the Cowboys are 2.5 games out.
It really feels like the NFC North will have two of three teams in the playoffs between the Bears, Lions, and Packers, so 11 wins feels like a safe place to make at least a wild-card game.
So, for the 49ers, it’s pretty simple. Win your next two games against opponents you should be favored (heavily favored in the Titans case) against, and you’re in a perfect spot at 11-4. Then, you can sit and see how the NFC North unfolds over the final few weeks of the season.
Of course, if San Francisco wants a piece of the division title, they’ll likely need more than just 11 wins with the Rams and Seahawks both at 10 already. The 49ers can get the edge on Seattle with a win in Week 18 at Levi’s Stadium, but they’ll need the Rams to drop another game, preferably a divisional matchup, to take control of the NFC West.
San Francisco is in a great spot with their 4-1 division record. The Rams are 3-1 (one left vs. Seattle and Arizona), while the Seahawks are 2-2 (one left vs. Los Angeles and San Francisco). The biggest help would be if the Seahawks beat the Rams. Then, if the 49ers keep on par with Seattle, that Week 18 matchup could be for the division.
There are still a few variables to figure out in the NFC Playoff Picture. But, one game on the 49ers’ schedule just got a whole lot easier, making the path to a playoff berth clearer.
About the Author: Insidethe49
