The San Francisco 49ers did not play on Monday night, but things worked out in their favor. They needed the Green Bay Packers to fall in MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants to return to the postseason. Their wishes came true when Tommy DeVito led Big Blue down the field for a game-winning field goal as time expired. San Francisco has their eyes on another Lombardi Trophy, and the first step is out of the way.
The @49ers are the 1st team to clinch a spot in the #NFLPlayoffs!@budlight | #CellyClinched pic.twitter.com/ygz4YKMMnk
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
The San Francisco 49ers Are Not Satisfied Yet
While clinching a playoff spot is the logical first step toward the 49ers winning it all, this team believes that it is the best in the league. They’re currently tied for the NFL’s best record and have the NFC’s top seed thanks to wins over the Cowboys and Eagles. Avoiding another road game in the NFC Championship is step two, which means holding onto the number one spot in their conference.
San Francisco has four games remaining, two of which should be wins. They visit the Arizona Cardinals (who they beat 35-16 already) next and take on the Washington Commanders two weeks after that. Between then is their toughest game, a home tilt with the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas night. That’ll probably be the best game of this regular season. The San Francisco 49ers wrap things up with the Los Angeles Rams at home, a team they beat 30-23 early in the year.
A 4-0 record in those games is possible, but 3-1 is more likely. With their tiebreakers, 3-1 should get the job done, but it’s not a guarantee that 13-4 will be strong enough. So, even with a secure future, don’t expect San Francisco to take their foot off the gas anytime soon.
Although the Philadelphia Eagles are second in the NFC East right now because of a tiebreaker, they’re the greatest threat to San Francisco’s pursuits of the number one seed. Philadelphia’s final four games are the easiest in the NFL, with the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Giants (twice) remaining. Dallas is the other threat, who is dealing with the Bills, Dolphins, Lions, and Commanders to end their regular season. It won’t be easy, but the 49ers control their destiny. Third in scoring offensively and allowing the fewest points per game on the other side, the San Francisco 49ers should feel good about their chances against anybody.
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