5 crucial takeaways from 49ers Week 11 win vs. Jaguars

No. 1: 49ers are back to being a legit playoff contender

Just like the turnover problems from a few weeks ago, it seems insane to have thought things would get right and San Francisco would be back in the playoff discussion.

If anything, the 49ers’ discussion points during that four-game losing streak would have focused on all the things wrong and how they didn’t have a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2022 that was looking to be an awfully high one.

Well, the narrative has changed. A lot.

Winners of three of their last four now, the Niners are back on a hot streak, highlighted by beating the Rams and reinforced by going on the road and dominating the Jags.

Now, San Francisco still is on the outside, looking in as far as the NFC playoff picture, sitting in the No. 8 seed behind the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings, who both have the same 5-5 record but have a better conference record overall.

Yet the 49ers can determine their destiny again in Week 12 by hosting and beating those Vikings, which would put the Niners into the playoff standings for the first time since much, much earlier in the season.

Who would have thought?