Previewing the 49ers in the NFC Playoffs

Their opponent in the Divisional Round of the playoffs would be the worst-ranked team remaining after the wild card games are played.

The 49ers have earned the top seed in the NFC playoffs, now they can kick up their feet and relax, knowing they won’t play a meaningful game until the weekend of January 20th.

Their opponent in the Divisional Round of the playoffs would be the worst-ranked team remaining after the wild card games are played.

Projected seeds:

1. San Francisco (12-4) – Clinched.

2. Dallas (11-5) - Win at Washington next week and they’re the 2 seed. So yeah, Dallas at 2.

3. Detroit (11-5) – The Lions are the 3 seed unless Washington beats Dallas. Right.

4. Tampa Bay (8-8) – Tampa wins at Carolina and they take the hapless NFC South.

5. Philadelphia (11-5) – From 10-1 to off a cliff, these Eagles have forgotten how to fly.

6. L.A. Rams (9-7) – The Rams are locked into the 6 seed so neither the Niners nor the Rams have anything to play for next week.

7. Green Bay (8-8) – They beat the Saints head-to-head and have the tiebreaker on Seattle. Beat Chicago and they’re in.

Seattle (8-8) – The Seahawks need to beat Arizona and have Green Bay lose to Chicago.

New Orleans (8-8) - Needs Tampa to lose while the Saints beat Atlanta.

Minnesota and Atlanta (7-9) – Technically alive but realistically they're done.

Team Profiles

No NFC opponent has the linebackers and secondary play needed to take the Niners out. San Francisco has elevated in a year when the top teams in the conference have dropped.

Dallas – The Cowboys can host two playoff home games and if they win both they’ll be overconfident and talking junk, saying, “It’ll be different this time!” playing the Niners. Yeah, ok Sparky. The Cowboys still have Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott. They’re still going to screw up clock management and turn the ball over.

Detroit – Teams that lose games due to incompetent refs come out for blood in the rematch. The ’84 Niners went 18-1 and won a Super Bowl in part due to Jerry Markbreit and a back judge bending them over in the ’83 NFC Championship. 

If Detroit can outscore the Rams, and I think they will, then the Lions will return to Dallas with chainsaws.

There’s a danger for the Lions though, a team that young coming in that pumped up risks an adrenaline crash in the second half.

The larger danger for Detroit is head coach Dan Campbell. He takes reckless risks as a reflection of his personality and asks the team to share his confident swagger. It can work but this time it cost them the playoff home field against Dallas.

The last thing on the Lions. Campbell expects this is the first of many division titles and long-term contention in Detroit. They have the personnel for it, but Detroit is a prime candidate next year to repeat Philadelphia’s arc this year. Lose a great offensive coordinator and fail to recover. 

The Eagles lost Shane Steichen and have fallen. The Lions will lose Ben Johnson to a head coaching job. He’ll be exceptionally difficult to replace.

Tampa Bay – Baker Mayfield has closed the season well, but this is a team filled with holes. Losing 23-13 to an inconsistent Saints team with a great defense but a poor offense doesn’t bode well for the playoffs.

Philadelphia – There’s a lot of finger-pointing in Philly right now, the sign of a team in crisis. The defense has cratered, and the offense is doubting itself. The Eagles keep looking for a silver bullet answer, but it may be a silver bullet opponent that they need.

Philadelphia beat Tampa 25-11 earlier this year by running all over the Bucs. D’Andre Swift had 130 yards and the Eagles ran for more than 200. That’s the answer on both ends, Philly needs to play keep away, play to their strengths through their dominant offensive line, and help protect their vulnerable back seven on defense.

LA Rams – With all their weapons healthy, the Rams had the NFL’s best offense in December. The problem is the defense can’t get stops, 25 points to the Giants in the last three quarters this week.

The wild card game will be interesting with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford playing their old franchises. The Rams' defense won’t get must stops while Detroit will get a few - and that’ll decide the game.

Green Bay – Jordan Love has great games and bad ones, the same with his receivers. The Packers lack the consistency needed to advance. Dallas will pick on a Packers pass defense that ranks 31st in interceptions and 19th in passing yards per game.

Gazing into my hazy crystal ball, I think Dallas, Detroit, and Philadelphia win the wild card games. That sends the Eagles to Levi’s for the payback game. The Philadelphia back seven is not up to that challenge. Then it’s Dallas and Detroit and I think the Lions can pull the upset on emotion.

Detroit matches up well on offense with the Niners, with a lot of fast weapons and a great offensive line. Whether Jared Goff can execute in a conference championship is to be determined.

On defense, Detroit has a critical weakness that plays right into Kyle Shanahan’s hands. NFL analyst Warren Sharp notes that Detroit’s defense ranks last in the league against play action. That’s death against Shanahan and the Niners.

Whether the NFC Championship is against Dallas or Detroit, I believe the Niners advance. They’ll get their chance at the ring in Las Vegas.