How 49ers’ loss to Titans impacts NFC playoff picture originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The 49ers (8-7) didn’t lose any ground in the NFC playoff picture with Thursday night’s loss to the Tennessee Titans, but that ground is a lot less solid with the rest of the NFL yet to complete Week 16.
MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki broke down all of the playoff scenarios prior to Thursday night’s game, and the 49ers’ playoff odds dropped to 76 percent with the 20-17 loss at Nissan Stadium.
“At 8-7, the 49ers then would only be a half-game up on three teams, the Vikings, the Eagles, the Saints, you get very close to that cut line right there at the seventh spot,” Kornacki said.
As Kornacki noted, the 49ers do have the head-to-head tiebreaker over both the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles after beating both teams earlier this season. The 49ers and Saints did not play against each other in 2021.
In Week 16, the Vikings host the Los Angeles Rams, and will be without top offensive player Dalvin Cook after he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday. LA’s offense has looked improved of late, but the Vikings still could pull out a win inside the friendly confines of U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Eagles will host the lowly New York Giants and Mike Glennon, and almost certainly should emerge from Week 16 with an 8-7 record.
The Saints are down to starting rookie Ian Book at quarterback against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, so a victory is far from a guarantee.
We will see how the rest of the week’s games shake out, but here is where the NFC stands following Thursday night’s game.
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1. Green Bay Packers (11-3)
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-4)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4)
4. Arizona Cardinals (10-4)
5. Los Angeles Rams (10-4)
6. 49ers (8-7)
7. Minnesota Vikings (7-7)
8. Philadelphia Eagles (7-7)
9. New Orleans Saints (7-7)
10. Washington Football Team (6-8)