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What is the 49ers’ path to the playoffs?

By Steven Kubitza

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 29: Robbie Gould #9 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after making a game-winning field goal during the fourth quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 at SoFi Stadium on November 29, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 29: Robbie Gould #9 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after making a game-winning field goal during the fourth quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 at SoFi Stadium on November 29, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The 49ers have fought through adversity in 2020 and still have a path to the playoffs. 

The San Francisco 49ers are still without Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle. The team has been ravaged by injuries and is also set to play home games in Arizona the next two weeks because of COVID restrictions in their home region. But somehow the playoffs are still within reach.

The team snapped a three-game losing streak Sunday with a huge win over the Los Angeles Rams to improve to 5-6. That has the 49ers one loss back of the Arizona Cardinals for the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC.

A path to the postseason

The 49ers are tied with the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings at 5-6. However, both teams hold tiebreakers over San Francisco because of better conference winning percentages.

The easiest path to the playoffs would be winning out and finishing 10-6. Doing so would mean a win over the Cardinals in Week 16 that would give Arizona a sixth loss.

When looking at the current Wild Card teams the Rams are at No. 5 with a 7-4 record. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are next at 7-5 and the Cardinals are in seventh at 6-5. The Rams and the Cardinals have two matchups remaining and while the Rams winning both would give the Cardinals seven losses, the 49ers actually hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Los Angeles. The Rams even finishing 9-7 opens up the door for the 49ers to go 4-1 and take that spot.

There is still the job of jumping the Bears and Vikings. Those two teams have a head-to-head remaining so at least one will have seven losses at some point. Both teams are not exactly elite either and the Bears look like they may never win again.

The harsh reality is the 49ers must go 4-1 or 5-0 to stand a chance, barring total chaos. They are in last place in arguably the best division in football and need the Rams or Cardinals to sweep that head-to-head series.

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San Francisco’s next game is next Monday night against the Buffalo Bills with the game played in Arizona. A loss could end the team’s playoff hopes in an instant. However, a win gets the team right back in the mix and proves they can take down top contenders around the league.