The San Francisco 49ers are riding high on a four-game winning streak, and while the wins have come against teams with losing records-the Cardinals, Panthers, Browns, and Titans-the Niners didn’t just squeak by. They dominated, outscoring those four opponents by a combined 124 to 64. That’s the kind of performance you expect from a contender handling its business against struggling teams.
But now comes the real test.
With the Colts, Bears, and Seahawks still on the schedule, the Niners are heading into a stretch that will reveal just how playoff-ready this team really is. These next three games feature more complete rosters and better-coached units, and they’ll challenge both sides of the ball in ways the past few weeks haven’t.
Offensively, the Niners have been steady all season, hovering in that top-five-to-ten range in most key metrics. Even if Ricky Pearsall ends up missing time, there’s confidence in the system and the supporting cast.
The offensive line has been solid, and the quarterback play-efficient and mistake-free-has kept the chains moving. This is a unit that knows its identity, and that’s half the battle in December.
Defensively, though, it’s a different story.
Robert Saleh has been dealt a brutal hand. The defense was built around two cornerstone players-both now out-and the hits haven’t stopped there.
First-round pick Mykel Williams, a key depth piece expected to contribute down the stretch, is also sidelined. That’s left Saleh scrambling to patch together a unit that’s been forced to play musical chairs with its personnel week after week.
Still, the scoreboard tells a more resilient story. Yes, there’s been some late-game sloppiness-particularly in the fourth quarters against Arizona and Tennessee, where the defense gave up a few garbage-time touchdowns that made the final scores look closer than they were.
But when it’s mattered most, the defense has delivered. Key third-down stops, red zone stands, and timely pressure on opposing quarterbacks have helped seal each of the last four wins.
That said, there are still cracks. Take Week 13 against the Browns, for example.
Cleveland ran the ball nine straight times on a 90-yard touchdown drive that left the Niners' front seven looking gassed and out of sync. It was a throwback to old-school smashmouth football, and the 49ers didn’t have an answer.
So, while it’s easy to get caught up in the win streak, the real question isn’t just how the Niners played-it’s who they played. The teams they beat are all outside the playoff picture, and in some cases, far outside it. That doesn’t take away from the wins, but it does frame them properly.
Interestingly, the most complete performance of this four-game run might’ve come against the team with the best record. That game showed what this 49ers team is capable of when the execution is sharp and the game plan clicks on both sides of the ball. It was a reminder that, even with the injuries and the inconsistencies, this roster still has the talent and coaching to hang with anyone.
Now, with the postseason looming, the Niners have a chance to prove they’re more than just bullies beating up on weaker teams. These final three games will be about more than just wins-they’ll be about showing the kind of championship mettle that separates contenders from pretenders.
And if they can do that, the rest of the NFC better be ready.