Jags’ win over Broncos was most impressive Week 16 win
Joe Rivera and Chris Bumbaca break down the Jaguars’ statement Week 16 win vs. the Broncos.
The San Francisco 49ers have already clinched a spot in the NFC playoffs, but they will be taking aim at a larger goal in the season’s final week.
The 49ers have a chance to win the NFC West. They have been in a tight, three-horse battle for the divisional crown along with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, a fight in which the Seahawks hold a slight edge.
However, after the 49ers beat the Chicago Bears in Week 17, they will have a chance to pry the NFC West title away from the Seahawks in the season’s final week.
Here’s a breakdown of the 49ers’ playoff picture and how they could potentially emerge as the NFC West winner for the third time in four seasons.
49ers playoff chances
The 49ers clinched a playoff berth in Week 16 thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win over the Detroit Lions. San Francisco was still able to win its “Monday Night Football” game against the Indianapolis Colts, allowing Kyle Shanahan’s squad to remain in the NFC West race down the stretch of the season.
The 49ers will either win the NFC West or earn a wild-card berth. Here’s a look at what it will take for San Francisco to win its division in 2025:
49ers win in Week 18 vs. Seattle Seahawks
The 49ers also had to beat the Bears on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 17 to have a chance to win the NFC West. They were able to earn a victory in a 42-38 shootout, which means the San Francisco vs. Seattle battle in Week 18 will be for the NFC West title and the NFC’s No. 1 overall seed.
With a win, the 49ers will be the NFC’s No. 1 seed. A loss would relegate them to either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff race, pending the results for the Los Angeles Rams on “Monday Night Football” in Week 17 and in their Week 18 battle with the Arizona Cardinals.
The 49ers are currently in second place in the NFC West standings. Below is a look at the pecking order within the division:
Seattle Seahawks (13-3)San Francisco 49ers (12-4)Los Angeles Rams (11-4)Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
The Seahawks won their Week 17 game against the Carolina Panthers. That allowed Mike Macdonald’s squad to stay a game ahead of the 49ers even after San Francisco’s “Sunday Night Football” win.
The Rams are now in third place, a half-game behind the 49ers. Los Angeles will try to move into a tie with San Francisco when the Rams play against the Atlanta Falcons on “Monday Night Football.”
The 49ers hold tiebreaker advantages over the Seahawks and Rams. San Francisco beat Seattle head-to-head in Week 1 and will play the Seahawks again in Week 18 with a potential division title on the line.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s 4-1 divisional record is better than Los Angeles’ mark of 3-2. That will give the 49ers a slight edge over the Rams as they jockey for positioning behind the Seahawks.
Below is a look at the 49ers’ final opponent:
Week 18: vs. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
The Seahawks just have one game left on their schedule after winning their Week 17 game against the Panthers. Below is a look at their remaining matchup:
Week 18: at San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
The Rams have the easiest remaining schedule of the bunch, as their final two opponents have combined for just nine wins. Here’s a look at Los Angeles’ remaining schedule:
Week 17: at Atlanta Falcons (6-9)Week 18: vs. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
Here’s how the AFC and NFC stack up for Week 17:
AFCDenver Broncos (13-3, AFC West winners)*New England Patriots (13-3, AFC East leaders)*Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4, AFC South leaders)*Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7, AFC North leaders)Houston Texans (11-5, wild card No. 1)*Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 2)*Buffalo Bills (11-5, wild card No. 3)*
In the hunt: Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
NFCSeattle Seahawks (13-3, NFC West leaders)*Chicago Bears (11-5, NFC North winners)*Philadelphia Eagles (11-5, NFC East winners)*Carolina Panthers (8-8, NFC South leaders)San Francisco 49ers (12-4, wild card No. 1)*Los Angeles Rams (11-4, wild card No. 2)*Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, wild card No. 3)*
In the hunt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
An asterisk (*) denotes teams that have clinched a playoff spot. Teams that have clinched division titles are noted accordingly.