After a thrilling Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears, the San Francisco 49ers are in position to fight for the top seed in the NFC in their final game of the regular season. This team has overcome seemingly impossible injury woes to reclaim its position among the NFL's elite.
As the playoffs draw near, fans and analysts are beginning to speculate about whether the Niners can turn this hot streak into a deep playoff run.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky laid out the double-sided nature of this 49ers team and why it could cause them to fall short of their postseason goals.
Dan Orlovsky gets real about 49ers' playoff outlook
Orlovsky took to ESPN's First Take on Monday morning to discuss whether the 49ers are a threat to win the NFC. He praised Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan, saying, "The offense is Super Bowl caliber... Offense-wise, I think it's the hottest offense along with the Rams going into the NFC playoffs."
But, as Orlovsky went on to point out, there's another side to the coin. He said, "It's a defense that can get you beat by anybody, and I think that's the dichotomy for San Francisco."
Purdy and Shanahan are getting most of the attention surrounding this team for the work they've done in the back half of the season, and rightfully so. They've been able to put together one of the most dangerous units in football, consistently lighting up the scoreboard from week to week. With a healthy group of weapons at their disposal, this unit is as close to unstoppable as it gets.
But the weakness of this defense leaves the offense with no room for error. Even if the 49ers are able to put up 30 or more points in a game, they can't feel comfortable. Their Week 17 win over the Bears is a perfect example. Yes, San Francisco came away with the victory, but the defense's inability to get stops nearly lost them the game. The offense had to be perfect to stay ahead.
When the 49ers play against better defenses in the playoffs, staying perfect on offense will be even more challenging. An electric offense like this one may be enough to overcome a weak defense in the regular season, but it isn't enough to carry a team through the razor-thin margins of a playoff run.
Both sides of the ball will have to be in top form to make the Super Bowl run fans are hoping for.