After a rollercoaster midseason stretch, the San Francisco 49ers are back on the upswing - and just in time for the playoff push.
They opened the 2025 campaign with three straight wins, looking every bit like the NFC powerhouse many expected. But what followed was a frustrating seven-week stretch of inconsistency, where the Niners alternated wins and losses, ultimately slipping to 6-4 after a tough Week 10 loss to the division-rival Rams.
Then came the bounce back - and it’s been a convincing one. With Brock Purdy once again in command of the offense and the defense turning in some of its most dominant performances of the year, San Francisco rattled off three straight wins leading into their Week 14 bye. Wins over the Cardinals, Panthers, and Browns - all by comfortable margins - pushed the 49ers to 9-4 and firmly back in the playoff mix.
Niners Climb to No. 6 Seed in NFC After Bye Week
The bye week offered a chance to rest, reset, and watch the rest of the NFC playoff picture take shape. And while the 49ers didn’t get the help they needed in the NFC West race - both the Rams and Seahawks kept pace with convincing wins - they did manage to climb a spot in the Wild Card standings.
Here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks heading into Week 15:
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3) - 1st, NFC West
- Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) - 1st, NFC North
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5) - 1st, NFC East
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) - 1st, NFC South
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3) - 2nd, NFC West
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4) - 3rd, NFC West
- Chicago Bears (9-4) - 2nd, NFC North
- Detroit Lions (8-5) - 3rd, NFC North
- Carolina Panthers (7-6) - 2nd, NFC South
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1) - 2nd, NFC East
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8) - 4th, NFC North
San Francisco currently holds the No. 6 seed, edging out the Bears for the higher Wild Card spot despite identical 9-4 records. The tiebreaker?
Conference record. The 49ers are 8-2 against NFC opponents, while Chicago sits at 6-3.
That same edge could come into play down the line if the Niners find themselves in a tiebreaker with the Lions, who are 5-4 in NFC play.
And here's where it gets even more intriguing - the 49ers and Bears are set to face off in Week 17. Depending on how the next couple of weeks unfold, that game could have major implications for seeding, and possibly even division titles if things break just right.
NFC West Race Still a Gauntlet
Despite their three-game win streak, the 49ers didn’t gain any ground in the NFC West during the bye. Both the Rams and Seahawks rolled in Week 14 - the Rams steamrolled Arizona 45-17, while the Seahawks dismantled the Falcons 37-9 - keeping both teams tied atop the division at 10-3.
The Rams currently own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Seattle thanks to their Week 11 win. But that could change quickly, as the two teams are scheduled to meet again in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football in what could be a division-deciding clash.
Before that, the Rams face a tough test in Week 15, hosting the Detroit Lions in a potential playoff preview. The Seahawks, meanwhile, will take on an Indianapolis Colts team that’s lost three straight and just lost quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury.
Trap Game Alert: Titans Up Next
As for the 49ers, their immediate focus shifts to a Week 15 matchup against the struggling Tennessee Titans - a team with just two wins on the season. On paper, this is a game San Francisco should handle. But this is the NFL, and “should” doesn’t always mean “will.”
This has all the makings of a classic trap game. The Niners are coming off a bye, riding a win streak, and staring down a tougher matchup against the Colts in Week 16 before that critical showdown with the Bears. Overlooking the Titans, even for a second, could be costly.
But if the 49ers continue to play with the balance and intensity they’ve shown in recent weeks - Purdy staying sharp, the defense swarming, and the run game doing its part - they should be in a strong position to keep their momentum rolling into the final stretch.
The NFC playoff race is heating up, and San Francisco is right in the thick of it. With three games left, every snap matters.