Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers should be sending a gift basket to the Arizona Cardinals after their shocking upset over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17.
The Cardinals travelled to Lincoln Financial Field as double-digit underdogs and shocked the Eagles 35-31. And that victory had quite the ripple effect.
With the Eagles loss, the 49ers officially wrapped up the no.1 seed in the NFC bracket, securing themselves a first-round bye, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
The other big consequence of Cardinals-Eagles concerns the 2024 NFL Draft. With Arizona winning, the Chicago Bears officially clinched the first overall pick of the draft, via the Carolina Panthers.
Aside from the humiliation of losing to the Cardinals and the concern that comes from 10-1 team losing four of five games to fall to 11-5, the Eagles also might have cost themselves dearly come playoff time with the Week 17 slip-up.
Niners road to Super Bowl LVIII
Nick Sirianni's team has now lost control of their own destiny in the NFC East. Its loss on Sunday, coupled with the Dallas Cowboys' defeat of the Detroit Lions on Saturday, means that now the Cowboys are in the driver's seat in the divisional race. For Dallas, it's simple. Defeat the Washington Commanders in Week 18 and the East crown is theirs.
The 49ers clinch the NFC's top spot and a crucial postseason bye as a result of Philly's collapse.
Shanahan's squad went through their own challenges this season, dropping three straight games before hitting the bye week in Week 9. But San Francisco came back with a renewed focus, reeling off six straight victories.
The injury bug did hit the 49ers on Sunday, but earning a crucial week of rest will no doubt lift their spirits.
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