The San Francisco 49ers are the hottest team in the NFL and perhaps the most dangerous team right now heading into the NFL Playoffs. The 49ers have won nine straight games and have not lost dating back to the end of October. Even without their No. 1 and No. 2 QBs, the Niners are just chugging. Instead of just treading water, they're thriving. During their current winning streak, the 49ers have beaten teams like the Chargers, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Commanders, and their latest victims, the Raiders. As such, the 49ers are now 12-4. They hold the top spot in the NFC West and are currently the second overall seed right behind the Philadelphia Eagles. Here we will look at the different playoff scenarios for the 49ers after their big win over the Raiders.
The 49ers ended the year with a narrow 37-34 overtime road victory against the Raiders. That was thanks mainly to the efforts of rookie quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey. After Robbie Gould missed a field-goal attempt at the end of regulation, he redeemed himself with a 23-yard field goal in overtime. That was made possible by Tashaun Gipson's interception and 56-yard return.
GG @Raiders 🤝
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 2, 2023
That said, this game was closer than most expected. Still, it may have been exactly what the 49ers needed to prepare them for the pressure of the postseason.
This win was particularly significant for the 49ers. It allowed them to secure the NFC's No. 2 playoff seed heading into the final week of the regular season. They also have the conference tiebreaker over the Minnesota Vikings (12-4), who were defeated by the Green Bay Packers. This means that even if the Vikings win their final game, the 49ers will still hold the higher seed due to their head-to-head victory over Minnesota earlier in the season.
However, the 49ers' position as the No. 2 seed is not yet fully guaranteed. Depending on what happens in Week 18, the Niners could slide down to No. 3 or actually move up and supplant the Eagles at No. 1.
Given the current landscape in the league heading into the final week of the regular season, we feel that the 49ers actually have the inside track to move up a spot. The key is to win their final assignment against the Arizona Cardinals. That should not be extremely difficult, given how inconsistent the Cardinals have been. And yet with so much at stake, it is sure to be an exciting and tense final week of the regular season for the 49ers and their fans.
Here are the possible playoff scenarios for the San Francisco 49ers depending on Week 18 game results.
49ers as NFC Top Seed
Take note that if the current rankings hold, San Francisco will host the Seattle Seahawks in the wild-card round of the playoffs. However, if the 49ers defeat the Cardinals in their final regular season game and the Eagles lose to the New York Giants, San Francisco will secure the top spot in the NFC and earn a bye until the divisional round.
In this scenario, the 49ers would play against the lowest-seeded NFC team remaining. It is worth noting that the Seahawks are not guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, as they could be overtaken by the Packers or Detroit Lions. If either the Packers or Lions win their final game and the Seahawks lose, either of those teams will secure a playoff spot instead of Seattle.
Keep in mind that the 49ers have not faced the Eagles or Vikings this season. This means that the head-to-head tiebreaker does not apply to them. In this case, the next tiebreaker is conference record, which the 49ers lead over both opponents. If the 49ers defeat the Cardinals, they will also secure this tiebreaker.
It is worth noting that the Eagles are expected to have star QB Jalen Hurts back in Week 18 with the top seed in the conference on the line. Philly has lost its last two games with Hurts out so they badly need him to play. If the Eagles lose to the Giants and the Dallas Cowboys win against the Washington Football Team, Dallas will become the NFC East champion and Philadelphia will be the No. 5 seed. That's a huge drop from being No. 1 for the entire season to suddenly sliding to No. 5.
49ers as NFC Second Seed
The 49ers will keep their No. 2 spot in the NFC with two scenarios. First, they would need to beat the Cardinals in addition to the Eagles winning over the Giants. Second, San Francisco stays at No. 2 even if they lose to the Cardinals. This is as long as the Vikings also lose to the Chicago Bears.
With Hurts reportedly suiting up in Week 18, the odds of the Eagles beating the Giants go up. That means there is more urgency for the 49ers to also secure a victory over the Cardinals. Yes, the Giants aren't an easy team by any measure. However, they have already secured their No. 6 seed in the postseason. Even a win over the Eagles in Week 18 won't change that for the Giants. We expect them to rest some key players. That would open the door for the Eagles to get their 13th win of the season.
Meanwhile, it's highly unlikely that the Vikings will lose to the 3-13 Bears. This is especially not with playoff positioning on the line. With likely wins for both the Eagles and Vikings, the Eagles also need a W. This would preserve their hold on the NFC's second seed.
49ers as NFC Third Seed
San Francisco will slide down to No. 3 in the NFC if they lose to the Cardinals and the Vikings beat the Bears.
Also, the Cowboys could still become the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win over the Commanders. That is if the Eagles and 49ers both lose in their final regular season games. This would also drop the 49ers to No. 3 and the Eagles to No. 5. In this scenario, the 49ers end up with the No. 3 seed. That means they would face the dangerous and possibly rested Giants in the opening week of the playoffs.
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