NFC Playoff Picture Shifts in 49ers’ Favor - Without a Snap Taken
Sometimes, the biggest wins come when you’re not even on the field. That was exactly the case for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14, as a chaotic Sunday across the NFC reshuffled the playoff deck - and gave the Niners a timely boost during their bye week.
Heading into the weekend, San Francisco was clinging to the seventh and final playoff spot. By the time the dust settled on Sunday night, they had climbed into the sixth seed - a modest move on paper, but a meaningful one in an NFC race where every inch of ground matters.
Green Bay’s Win Sends Shockwaves
The biggest jolt came from Green Bay’s win over the Chicago Bears. Chicago entered Sunday sitting atop the NFC, holding the No. 1 seed.
But a loss to their division rival sent them tumbling all the way down to the seventh spot. That’s not just a drop - that’s a full-on freefall.
Meanwhile, Green Bay didn’t just win a rivalry game - they vaulted from the sixth seed all the way up to No. 2 in the conference. That kind of leap this late in the season is rare and speaks to just how tight the playoff race has become.
For the 49ers, that Bears loss opened the door. They didn’t have to do anything but watch - and suddenly they’re no longer on the playoff bubble. They’re in a more secure position, holding the sixth seed with a strong conference record (8-2) giving them a key tiebreaker edge.
NFC Playoff Picture After Week 14
Here’s how the standings shake out after Week 14:
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3) - 5-3 in NFC
- Green Bay Packers (9-3) - 7-2-1
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) - 7-3
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) - 5-4
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3) - 6-3
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4) - 8-2
- Chicago Bears (9-4) - 6-3
- Detroit Lions (8-5) - 5-4
- Carolina Panthers (7-6) - 5-3
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1) - 3-5-1
NFC West: A Tightrope Walk
The NFC West is still a three-team race, and it’s not getting any easier to predict. The Rams took care of business against Arizona, moving to 10-3 and reclaiming the top seed in the conference. But the Seahawks matched that record with a 37-9 win over the Falcons - a game that was much closer than the final score suggests.
Seattle and Atlanta were tied 6-6 at halftime before the Seahawks exploded in the second half. Credit goes to Sam Darnold, who kept the offense steady and avoided the kind of mistakes that can derail a team in a tight playoff race. When Darnold is clean and the Seahawks defense is clicking, they’re as dangerous as anyone in the NFC.
That leaves the 49ers watching closely. At 9-4, they’re just one game back of both division rivals. And with a huge Week 16 showdown looming, San Francisco still has a shot to climb even higher - possibly even to the top of the NFC West, depending on how the next couple of weeks unfold.
A Week Off, But Not a Week Wasted
For Kyle Shanahan and his staff, the bye week may have come at the perfect time. Not only did it offer rest, but it also reshaped the landscape around them.
Just a week ago, the 49ers were on the outside looking in. Now, they’re in the thick of it, with a clearer - though still challenging - path to January football.
If the postseason started today, San Francisco would be heading to Philadelphia for a rematch with the Eagles. That storyline writes itself, but there’s another layer: the 49ers’ Week 16 opponent just lost its starting quarterback, a development that could have major implications down the stretch.
Whether it’s a trip to Philly or a matchup with a shorthanded contender like Tampa Bay, San Francisco is suddenly in a much better spot than they were just seven days ago. The NFC is still a minefield, but the 49ers are back in the mix - rested, reloaded, and ready to make their move.