Niner Noise
FanSided

3 reasons why 49ers make the playoffs in 2021

By Jeremy Wohlfart

Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers (R) with general manager John Lynch (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers (R) with general manager John Lynch (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Raheem Mostert, 49ers
Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Extended playoff format benefits 49ers

Last year, the 49ers were too injured to take advantage of the new rules that enable seven teams to make it to the playoffs per conference instead of the old format of six.

It says something about San Francisco’s playoff chances, however, that the team was still well in the hunt for a Wild Card spot until relatively late in the season.

Keep in mind, the 49ers finished with a 6-10 record in 2020.

In the new NFL, to be even an average team can still put you in a spot to challenge for the playoffs now. You can like or loathe this new seven-team format, but it’s here to stay.

The Niners might need it, too, as the NFC West is the most competitive in football where literally every team is a chance to win the division.

Technically speaking, the entire division could even make the playoffs with seven teams headed to the postseason.

Of course, you can argue the Niners are good enough that they don’t even need this rule to help them get back into the postseason, but it never hurts to have that extra assurance for a team looking to get back into the hunt.