NFC Playoff picture: The 49ers' path to the Super Bowl looks favorable

The 49ers had the best record in the NFC. With so little to play for, Week 18 makes no sense. Now, San Francisco can rest for two weeks and see which opponent they play at home in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Here's a look at the NFC standings with one week remaining in the regular season:

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1. D-San Francisco 49ers (12-4)

2. S-Dallas Cowboys (11-5, win over Deet)

3. Z-Detroit Lions (11-5, loss to Dahl)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers# (8-8, record in combined matches > no)

5- S-Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

6. y- Los Angeles Rams (9-7)

The season is on the line

7. Green Bay Packers# (8-8)

8. Seattle Seahawks# (8-8)

9. New Orleans Saints# (8-8, record in combined games < TB)

10. Minnesota Vikings% (7-9)

11. Atlanta Falcons% (7-9)

Play spoiler

12. E-Chicago Bears (7-9)%

13. E-New York Giants (5-11)

14. E-Washington leaders (4-12, win over Ari)

15. E-Arizona Cardinals (4-12, loss to WAS)

16. E-Carolina Panthers (2-14)

The Lions clinched the NFC North title, but the other two divisions are still up for grabs. Well kind of. The loss of the Eagles means they are confined to the area No. 5 seeds. Philly needs to beat the Giants and upset the Cowboys. The last time Washington played Dallas was on Thanksgiving, they lost by 35 points.

As for the NFC South, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs have the best odds of winning, according to the New York Times playoff simulation:

Pirates – 56%
Saints — 27%
Falcons — 17%

Tampa Bay is on the road playing Carolina. Beat the worst team in the NFL, and you'll be division champions. Atlanta and New Orleans go head-to-head. The winner will hope Bryce Young pulls off a miracle so they can lift the divisional trophy.

The most likely matchup for the Wild Card is the Eagles going on the road to face the Buccaneers.

Ten thousand tie breakers

As for the teams with the pound sign next to them, there is an abundance of playoff matches. The first thing that needs to happen is an NFC South tiebreaker. Tampa Bay's victories over New Orleans are recorded against common opponents. In a three-way Wild Card tie between the Packers, Saints and Seahawks, the Saints are eliminated by conference record.

The Packers and Seahawks go all the way to the Super Bowl, as the Packers take the lead. Seattle and New Orleans go to a tiebreaker with Seattle winning the conference record.

Now for the teams with a percentage sign after their names. The Vikings and Falcons go to a tiebreaker. The Vikings hold the NFC North tiebreaker over the Bears based on combined playoff record, but Chicago was eliminated Sunday night with a Packers win. Minnesota beat Atlanta, which means the tiebreaker is reset for the Bears and Falcons, and the Bears just beat Atlanta.

Battle for seeds 7

There are five teams playing for one venue. The 49ers play the lower seed. Would you rather play cowboys or lions? Both teams are playing in favorable conditions. But based on what we've seen over the past month, it has to be Dallas, right?

You have to do the qualifiers first.

Let's act under the impression that Tampa Bay wins, eliminating Atlanta and New Orleans. Minnesota The path is unlikely, also. The Vikings need the Saints or Bucs to lose, the Seahawks to lose in Arizona, and the Packers to lose at home to Chicago. Let's write off Minnesota.

Green Bay has a 25 percent chance Conduct qualifiers, according to a New York Times simulation, even if they lost to the Chicago Bears. Winning while they are inside. The loss and the Packers are a collection of losses from other teams competing for playoff spots.

Seattle You need help, also. The Seahawks were in the driver's seat, but lost at home to Kenny Pickett in Week 17. Seattle needs a win over Arizona and a Packers loss to the Bears.

I think the Bears pull off the upset at home, and we'll have three NFC West teams in the playoffs. The Rams have the head-to-head tiebreaker, so they will face the Cowboys and the Rams will go on the road with Matthew Stafford to Detroit. Talk about a story.

Playoffs

This is my guess for the Wild Card round:

1. 49ers bye
2. Cowboys vs. 7. Seahawks
3. Lions vs. 6. Rams
4. Buccaneers vs. 5. Eagles

If you're San Francisco, you couldn't ask for a better way to power. They've already beaten every team in the field except Detroit, and no one picks Jared Goff on the road in a playoff spot.

I think there's a good chance the Cowboys, Eagles and Lions will lose in the first round as well. If things go this way, there will be few excuses for the 49ers to be out of the NFC, especially if they get a home playoff berth against a top-tier opponent.

Remember that they will receive the lowest seed that advances. So, between the combination of Seattle and Green Bay, or the Rams, the 49ers will play a defense where you expect them to score 30+ points. Although the same argument could be made for other playoff teams.

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