The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for a crucial Week 16 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. But even if the 49ers come up short, their path to the playoffs is clear.
If the Detroit Lions lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers, then the 49ers will be in the playoffs, via Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. San Francisco controls their own destiny at 10-4, a win over Indianapolis already guarantees their spot. But 49ers' fans will be playing close attention to the Lions-Steelers clash on Sunday.
San Francisco has dealt with plenty of controversy throughout the season. They were forced to turn to Mac Jones at quarterback after Brock Purdy's injury; although he has now return. Who hasn't is Brandon Aiyuk, who now seems headed towards divorce with the team. On the defensive side, Nick Bosa has suffered a torn ACL while Fred Warner has been out since Week 6.
But despite all of those hurdles, the 49ers have managed to put themselves in premier playoff positioning. They enter Week 16 ranked 10th in total offense (347.5 yards per game) and 18th in total defense (333.6 YPG). At maximum capacity, it's fair to wonder where San Francisco sits. Still, the franchise has continued to find a way.
Their Week 16 matchup against the Colts will be no different. Just one more win and San Francisco's playoff dreams will come true. But Indianapolis quarterback Philip Rivers is a bit of a wild card after his shocking return. If things do go south for the 49ers, there will be a safety net in place.
