How 49ers can make playoffs entering regular-season finale originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Rookie Trey Lance stepped in for injured 49ers starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and grabbed his first career NFL win Sunday. Still, it wasn’t enough for San Francisco to clinch an NFC wild-card playoff spot.
At least not yet.
After beating the Houston Texans 23-7 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers (9-7) will look to punch their playoff ticket in next week’s regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
Entering Sunday, San Francisco could have clinched a wild-card berth with a win over the Texans, combined with a Carolina Panthers win over the New Orleans Saints. The latter didn’t happen, which means the 49ers must wait another week to potentially celebrate, though they’d have to beat a Rams team that could need a win to clinch the NFC West title over the Arizona Cardinals.
The Saints (8-8) will visit the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons (7-9) next week, and must win to have any chance.
Here’s the 49ers’ playoff scenarios, as they stand now:
Simplest way to look at #49ers clinching scenarios for next week:
â Win and in.
â Avoid any scenario that involves a tie (two team, three team, any team) with the Saints.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) January 3, 2022
The Minnesota Vikings, one of four total teams in contention for a wild-card spot, face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at Lambeau Field, and need a win to stay alive. A Packers win would give one of the two remaining playoff spots to the Eagles.
Here are the updated NFC playoff standings entering Sunday night.
x-1. Green Bay Packers (12-3) *playing Sunday night vs. Minnesota
x-2. Los Angeles Rams (12-4)
x-3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4)
x-4. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
x-5. Arizona Cardinals (11-5)
6. San Francisco 49ers (9-7)
7. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
8. New Orleans Saints (8-8)
9. Minnesota Vikings (7-8) *playing Sunday night vs. Green Bay
x-denotes team has clinched a playoff berth