NFL
San Francisco 49ers and the NFL Playoffs
The final stretch of the NFL season continues and the teams that will be installed in the 2024 postseason are closer to being known.
The San Francisco 49ers emerged as the first seed in the National Conference by registering a 10-3 record as week 14 closed with a Monday night double-header. Clinchmas came early as results meant they became the first to qualify for the postseason.
How the NFC is shaping up
There are still four weeks of activity left in the NFL regular season.
Week 15: 49ers - Cardinals | Sunday 17 December
Week 16: Ravens - 49ers | Monday 25 December
Week 17: 49ers - Commanders | Sunday 31 December
Week 18: Rams - 49ers | Sunday 7 January
The Niners will face two of their direct rivals: the Cardinals (3-10) in Week 15, which seems to be an accessible game on paper due to the situation the Arizona team finds itself in; and the Rams (6-7) in Week 18, in what is expected to be a closely contested matchup as the Los Angeles team will be in constant contention to secure their playoff spot until the last week.
In Week 16, they will likely face their toughest challenge, hosting the current top-seeded team in the NFC, the Baltimore Ravens, who also hold a 10-3 record, at Levi’s Stadium. Additionally, in Week 17, they will visit the Commanders at FedEx Field, who are at the bottom of the NFC with a negative record of 4-9.
How the 49ers qualified for the 2024 NFL Playoffs
The 49ers were hoping to be the first team to clinch a postseason berth and knew that they would secure their playoff spot on Monday with a combination of results. The San Francisco team needed the Green Bay Packers to lose to the New York Giants and a tight 22-24 win did the job.
The 49ers now just need a win against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15 to secure the division crown.