The 49ers still sit atop the NFC West with their 4-0 record, but they’ve relinquished the No. 1 seed in the NFC after Week 4.
San Francisco was the top seed in the conference going into Week 4 thanks to their tiebreaker over the Eagles. However, since both clubs won Sunday over division opponents it re-ordered the top of the conference. Here’s what the NFC playoff picture looks like:
Buy 49ers Tickets1. Eagles (4-0)
2. 49ers (4-0)
3. Buccaneers (3-1)
4. Lions (3-1)
5. Seahawks (3-1)
6. Cowboys (3-1)
7. Falcons (2-2)
Philadelphia, the only other undefeated team in the league, now holds the tiebreaker over San Francisco thanks to a better strength of victory (the combined winning percentage of defeated opponents).
The Eagles have wins over the Patriots, Vikings, Buccaneers and Commanders. That group has a combined seven wins and a .438 winning percentage after Week 4 wins by Minnesota and Tampa Bay.
The 49ers have wins over the Steelers, Rams, Giants and Cardinals. That quartet has six victories and a combined .375 winning percentage. Pittsburgh and New York both lost Sunday to push the 49ers down one spot in the standings.
Ultimately the 49ers can only control their own club and they’ve done everything they’ve needed to do through four weeks to put themselves at the top of the conference. They have eight more TDs than their opponents, while Eagles opponents have scored one more TD than they have. San Francisco also has a plus-67 point differential. Philadelphia is a plus-28.
The good news is the 49ers head to Philly in Week 13 with a chance to get a win and the all-important head-to-head tiebreaker that would take any other clubs and victories out of the picture.
