49ers’ Rooting Guide for NFL Playoff Implications of Week 11
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Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press
The San Francisco 49ers sit in one of the best positions to gain ground in the NFL playoff race in Week 11.
On paper, the 49ers have one of the easiest matchups on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville has only scored 33 points in its past three games, and its front seven faces a tough task against San Francisco’s dominant rushing attack.
Add in George Kittle with another week of health and an improving Brandon Aiyuk, and you have an offense that could cause all sorts of problems for the Jaguars.
Outside of Jacksonville, there are a few NFC matchups that could go in the 49ers’ favor, including a contest between the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles.
San Francisco enters Sunday in ninth place in the NFC standings. The order can change fast since the six teams sitting from sixth to 11th have either four or five victories.
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Jack Dempsey/Associated Press
The formula is simple for the 49ers when it comes to the Saints-Eagles matchup: San Francisco wants to be on level pegging with Philadelphia because of its head-to-head victory from Week 2.
At the moment, the 49ers are ahead of the Eagles by a half-game since the NFC East side has not had its bye week.
New Orleans is in front of the cluster of four-win teams fighting for playoff positions. The Saints sit at 5-4 in sixth place. Sean Payton’s team might struggle on Sunday without running back Alvin Kamara, who is out for the second straight week.
A loss could drag the Saints to the same record as the 49ers, and it would place their conference record at 4-4.
Since the 49ers and Saints do not have a head-to-head meeting this season, conference record will be the first tiebreaker used if the two sides are tied after Week 18.
San Francisco can improve on its NFC record while putting teams in tough situations over the next few weeks. The Niners play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12 and the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15.
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Aaron Gash/Associated Press
The Vikings could go from wild-card contender to a team with little playoff hope before December arrives.
Minnesota welcomes Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers to U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. The Packers are involved in their own fight for the No. 1 seed with the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.
If the Vikings lose Sunday and then fall to the 49ers in Week 12, they would be 4-7 and further down the wild-card standings than their current eighth position.
The Week 12 clash at Levi’s Stadium is the 49ers’ only home game in a four-week span. They visit the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals after that.
If Green Bay beats its NFC North rival and San Francisco wins in Jacksonville, the 49ers would be ahead of the Vikings going into Week 12.
Were Minnesota to spring the upset at home, the 49ers could still leap the Vikings in the crucial head-to-head matchup.
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Mark Tenally/Associated Press
The Carolina Panthers have to be considered the team to watch in the NFC wild-card race.
The Panthers brought back quarterback Cam Newton, and he has the potential to reinvigorate that offense and lead the team on a playoff push.
Carolina comes into its matchup with the Washington Football Team at 5-5. It could finish Sunday as high as sixth if the Eagles beat the Saints.
The 49ers would prefer to have as many wild-card spots open as possible, which leads to them rooting for a Carolina loss.
San Francisco does not have a head-to-head matchup with the Panthers, but it can gain an advantage in the conference record tiebreaker Sunday.
Carolina is 3-4 in NFC play, and a loss to Washington would leave it two games under .500 in that category with two games remaining against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and one left with the Saints.
Washington should not be viewed as a threat to San Francisco. Ron Rivera’s team has not won consecutive games this season, and it could drift further down the standings with five games left within the NFC East.
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