What 49ers need to do to secure No. 1 seed in NFC playoff picture
How can the Niners wind up with the top seed in the conference, which would mean home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye?
By Scott Conrad
The 49ers need a little help, but they are firmly in the running for the top seed in the NFC playoff picture with five weeks left in the regular season.
There are five weeks left to play in the 2023 regular season. The NFC playoff picture is starting to take shape.
With the San Francisco 49ers' Week 13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday, the top overall seed in the conference is in play.
Let's look at what needs to happen for the Niners, currently the No. 2 seed in the NFC, to have home-field advantage throughout the postseason while securing a first-round bye during the Wild Card round.
Current NFC playoff seeding entering Week 13
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)*
- San Francisco 49ers (9-3)*
- Detroit Lions (9-3)*
- Atlanta Falcons (6-6)*
- Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
- Green Bay Packers (6-6)
*denotes division leader
Philly is still leading the conference despite losing to the Niners last Sunday, but San Francisco now holds a tiebreaker over Philadelphia, should the two teams finish the regular season with identical records.
Indeed, the 49ers can control half of that situation from here on out.