5 things 49ers must do to make playoffs this season
By Peter Panacy
After scuffling early, the 49ers have turned their 2021 campaign around and are poised for a playoff berth, but they still have to accomplish these things.
2021 is proving to be a case study on why the NFL is a week-to-week league, and the San Francisco 49ers have epitomized this to a pretty exceptional level.
Earlier this season, when the Niners were mired in a four-game losing streak, the thought of making the playoffs was the furthest thing from the fanbase’s collective mind. If anything, the initial 2-4 start prompted talks about the 2022 NFL Draft order and the first-round pick San Francisco didn’t possess.
Things have turned around, though, and then some.
Winners of three straight and now back above the .500 mark for the first time since the end of Week 3, the 6-5 49ers currently hold the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff picture and also have the 13th easiest strength of schedule remaining, according to Tankathon.
So, what do the Niners need to do to ensure they reach the postseason?
Let’s take a look.
No. 5: At a minimum, 49ers must win 3 more games
San Francisco has six games remaining:
- Week 13 @ Seattle Seahawks (3-8)
- Week 14 @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)
- Week 15 vs. Atlanta Falcons (5-6)
- Week 16 @ Tennessee Titans (8-4)
- Week 17 vs. Houston Texans (2-9)
- Week 18 @ Los Angeles Rams (7-4)
The only “easy” game of that bunch is Week 17 against the Texans. And while the Seahawks, Titans and Rams haven’t been playing well as of late, as the 49ers also showed, teams frequently turn things around after a cold stretch.
And playing four of the remaining six games on the road doesn’t help matters much either.
If the Niners win three of those games, perhaps stealing a couple of those road contests, getting a 9-8 record should be enough to at least secure a Wild Card spot as a No. 7 seed.
But, with a slew of teams bunched up with 5-6 and 5-7 records, San Francisco needs to aim just a little higher.