How NFL Week 14 outcomes impacted 49ers’ standing in the NFC playoff picture originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers didn’t play Sunday, but their standing in the NFC playoff picture still improved as the rest of the NFL duked it out in Week 14.

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With just one NFC team left to play when the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers face each other on “Monday Night Football,” San Francisco currently owns the No. 6 playoff seed following Sunday’s slate of games.

The 49ers started the week at No. 7 but were guaranteed to at least move into the No. 6 spot no matter the outcome of the Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers game. San Francisco passed the Bears for the sixth seed after the Packers’ 28-21 win at Lambeau Field, and would have done the same to Green Bay had the game’s result been the opposite. The 49ers also would have passed the Packers due to a better NFC record had the game ended in a tie.

After the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams both emerged victorious Sunday, the 49ers were blocked from advancing any further in the standings during their Week 14 bye. Had both of San Francisco’s NFC West rivals lost, Brock Purdy and Co. would have held the NFC’s No. 2 seed, and if just one of them had lost, the 49ers would be sitting at No. 5.

Instead, the Rams and Seahawks both rolled out to blowout victories over the Arizona Cardinals (45-17) and Atlanta Falcons (37-9), respectively. As of late Sunday afternoon, here’s where things now stand in the NFC:

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NFC playoff standings

1. Los Angeles Rams (10-3)

2. Green Bay Packers (9-3-1)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)

5. Seattle Seahawks (10-3)

6. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

7. Chicago Bears (9-4)

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8. Detroit Lions (8-5)

9. Carolina Panthers (7-6)

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)

11. Minnesota Vikings (5-8)

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-9) — Eliminated from playoff contention

13. Arizona Cardinals (3-10) — Eliminated from playoff contention

14. New Orleans Saints (3-10) — Eliminated from playoff contention

15. Washington Commanders (3-10) — Eliminated from playoff contention

16. New York Giants (2-11) — Eliminated from playoff contention

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