To call the San Francisco 49ers' performance against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18 anything other than wildly disappointing would be a massive understatement.
It's not just that the offense only managed three points, a feat Kyle Shanahan hadn't seen with this team since his first game in charge back in 2017 in a loss to the Carolina Panthers. It's that the defense, while on the surface only allowing 13 points themselves, was much worse than the final score indicated, thanks in part to some early aggression from the Seahawks and misses on special teams.
So, yeah, it was a fairly comprehensive beating the Niners took on Saturday night, forcing them to limp into the playoffs rather than triumphantly ride off into the bye week and wait for their next victim.
And yet, on some bizarre level, the matchup against Seattle, especially for the offense in facing the Seahawks' defense, may end up being a bit of a blessing in disguise for San Francisco.
The offense couldn't get anything going against Seattle, but there are reasons to believe the 49ers can be more successful against the Philadelphia Eagles, their opponent for the NFC Wild Card game on Sunday afternoon in Philly.
The Eagles defense is no slouch, and it especially excels in keeping opposing offenses from scoring points, finishing fifth in scoring defense. Much like Seattle, the defense is stingy, but unlike the Seahawks, Philadelphia has some pretty clear places where the Niners offense can attack and likely find success.
Most of that opportunity will come in the running game, where the Eagles are just 16th in the league in yards allowed per carry, just a few spots above where the 49ers defense sits in the same category. We've seen enough of the Niners' run defense recently to know what that can look like.
But none of this necessarily explains why facing Seattle (and failing) could be a good thing for the Niners as they travel to Philadelphia with the hopes of extending the season for at least one more week.
In short, almost any defense in comparison is going to feel like a bit of a letdown after facing Seattle's at full strength.
The Eagles are still a good unit, and the 49ers will need Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall back, especially as the defense continues to physically crumble in front of our eyes.
But the 49ers offense is capable of more than enough to beat Philadelphia, and having faced Seattle just a few days before, they might find the task less difficult than they otherwise would have.