The 49ers’ hopes of playing beyond Week 17 have improved.
The San Francisco 49ers were interested and likely very happy spectators during Week 13’s wild Sunday slate.
Despite the raft of injuries and COVID-19 cases that have afflicted the Niners, who now have to deal with playing their remaining ‘home’ games in Arizona, they are firmly in the playoff picture going into their Monday Night Football clash with the Buffalo Bills.
And they will head onto the field at State Farm Stadium with their chances of reaching the postseason improved after defeats for division rivals the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, along with a late collapse by the Chicago Bears.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the 49ers have a 38 percent chance to make the playoffs. Should they beat the Bills and improve to 6-6, the odds will jump to 51 percent.
Here we look at how the reigning NFC champions can secure a second successive postseason berth.
Win the division
It is the least likely route but the division is still in play for the Niners, who would be two games back of the NFC West lead with a win over Buffalo.
They have the tiebreaker over the first-place Los Angeles Rams (8-4) having swept the division leaders. However, the 8-4 Seahawks hold the tiebreaker over the 49ers after their win in Seattle earlier in the season and also have a superior conference record.
To have any chance of retaining their division title, the 49ers would need to win at least four of their last five and hope the Rams and Seahawks each lose three of their last four.
You could get long odds on that scenario coming to pass.
Earn a Wild Card
A far more realistic outcome is that the Niners sneak into the postseason as one of the three Wild Card teams.
They are only a game back of the Minnesota Vikings, who occupy the final Wild Card spot, and will move level with them and the seemingly fast-fading Cardinals by defeating the Bills.
That would be a significant step towards playoff football but both the Vikings and Cardinals hold tiebreakers over San Francisco. The Vikings have a superior conference record and the Cardinals beat the 49ers way back in Week 1.
At 6-6, San Francisco would also only be a game back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though they also have a better record in conference games.
Therefore it is imperative that — regardless of what happens against Buffalo — the 49ers take advantage of upcoming matchups with the Washington Football Team and Dallas Cowboys and improve their conference record.
Should the 49ers prevail against Buffalo and knock off both their remaining NFC East opponents, they will be in an excellent position to secure playoff football at 8-6 heading into division meetings with the Cardinals and the Seahawks to round off the season.
The Niners have had everything thrown at them this season and are somehow still in the hunt. And that could remain the case for some time.