The San Francisco 49ers are no strangers to adversity. Basically every obstacle has been thrown their way this season, and yet somehow, they find themselves facing the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
Of course, the NFL schedule makers haven't exactly done them any favors. The last time the Niners faced the Seahawks was in Week 18, and they did so on a short week, facing the Hawks on Saturday night after playing a taxing game against the Chicago Bears on the previous Sunday night.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted his offense might have been able to have wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and left tackle Trent Williams available for the game, had it been on Sunday instead. But both players missed the bout because of injuries, and San Francisco was only able to muster three measly points.
Now, the 49ers are set to face the Seahawks again on a short week. This time, the Hawks have a distinct rest advantage since they had a bye week as a result of beating the Niners in that lopsided Week 18 matchup, securing the No. 1 playoff seed in the process.
While San Francisco fans have been grumbling about yet another short week, it is typical for the No. 1 seed to play the Saturday game of the divisional round. The 49ers had that advantage back in 2023 and faced a Green Bay Packers team on short rest.
49ers can use brutal NFL scheduling quirk to their advantage
It may not be fair, as former NFL head coach Tony Dungy pointed out, but it could actually work to San Francisco's advantage. Sure, one less day of rest is not a good thing for the 49ers.
Yet, they can let this feed into the narrative that every break has gone against them this year.
With countless injuries and adversity every way you turn, why not face one more obstacle as San Francisco attempts to do the improbable? This is the exact sort of thing Shanahan can use as bulletin-board material to get his squad amped to take on the Seahawks on Saturday in the third and decisive meeting between the two NFC West rivals this season.
Surely they will not need much extra motivation. Seattle is a bitter rival that took San Francisco down just two weeks ago in Santa Clara. The Niners are going to be hellbent on redeeming themselves and putting up a fight to see if they can make yet another NFC Championship game under Shanahan.
The odds are against them. They have lost so many key players. They are playing on another short week.
Not many will give them a chance. But maybe that's the way the 49ers like it.