As they've done all year, the San Francisco 49ers found a way to prevail against all odds on Wild Card Weekend. This time, the team overcame a fourth-quarter deficit and an Achilles injury to star tight end George Kittle to beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
It took an all-hands-on-deck effort from the 49ers to eliminate the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles on the road in Philadelphia, especially sans Kittle. San Francisco had to get creative and did, leaning on standout fullback/utility man Kyle Juszczyk as a pass-catcher and pulling out a nifty trick play.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan deserves a ton of credit for making do with what's at his disposal. The same goes for the club's defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh. Suddenly, they must get ready to do it all over again against a familiar foe: the Seattle Seahawks.
49ers set to face Seahawks in Divisional Round trilogy matchup
The No. 6 seed 49ers travel to Seattle to face their NFC West rival and the conference's No. 1 seed, the Seahawks. There's a strong sense of familiarity and no love lost between these two squads, setting the stage for a spirited win-or-go-home clash.
San Francisco notably took the first of two regular-season meetings versus Seattle at the Seahawks' Lumen Field. However, much has changed since this Sep. 7 showdown and their most recent bout in Week 18, which the 49ers lost at home.
Fresh off a bye, the Seahawks' top-ranked scoring defense that just stifled the 49ers earlier this month will be well-rested. Not to mention, Seattle is considered among the most hostile environments in the NFL. The circumstances are less than ideal for San Francisco, though that's nothing for them.
Time and again, the 49er Faithful has seen this group overcome adversity. No matter the opponent, location, or who is (or isn't) available, San Francisco can't be counted out. Shanahan and Saleh have done a remarkable job of getting players to embrace a "next man up" mentality and putting them in positions to succeed.
After taking down the Eagles in Philly, no task should feel too tall for this group. Shanahan and Saleh have shown they're enough for San Francisco to have a chance on any given Sunday. Next up for the 49ers on their road to Super Bowl LX is a pit stop in Seattle.