The bye week was kind to the 49ers in their quest to secure at least one home playoff game this postseason. San Francisco jumped from the No. 6 seed up to the No. 3 spot after the Seahawks’ loss to the Ravens.
While an Eagles victory only put the No. 1 seed further out of reach, the 49ers are in a good spot to make a push for that top spot entering the second half of the year. Here’s what the NFC playoff picture looks like moving into Week 10:
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
2. Detroit Lions (6-2)
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-3)
4. New Orleans Saints (5-4)
5. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)
6. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)
7. Minnesota Vikings (5-4)
8. Washington Commanders (4-5)
9. Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
The good news for the 49ers is they face the Seahawks twice down the stretch. That puts their destiny in their own hands where they could effectively wrap up the division by knocking off Seattle in both contests if they enter the game with the same record. Winning the division secures at least a top-four seed.
If San Francisco does find itself battling for one of the final three seeds, they have a tiebreaker over the Cowboys which could prove helpful.
Ideally for the 49ers though, they’re not going to be in the weeds of the 5-7 seeds. They’re constructed to win a division and fight for the No. 1 seed where they’d secure a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the postseason.
They’re two games back of the Eagles, but they have a game in Philadelphia in Week 13 that could pull them to within one and give them the head-to-head tiebreaker. That Eagles game will be crucial, but only if the 49ers right their once mighty ship that’s now threatening to capsize.
If they can do that, the hunt for the top seed in the NFC with Detroit and Philadelphia is on. If they stumble out of the gate though, the focus will turn to just surviving to hold onto the division and a home playoff game.
