The 49ers' last-second 23-20 win Sunday over the Los Angeles Rams might have been a season-saving victory for San Francisco.
With a loss, the 49ers' focus would have turned to the 2021 NFL Draft instead of the playoffs. But the win has them still alive in the NFC playoff picture. The 49ers now are the No. 10 seed in the NFC, as of Monday morning.
Beating the Rams (7-4) moved the 49ers (5-6) up one spot in the NFC. While they're still last in the NFC West, they are trending the right way. The 49ers saw key players like Deebo Samuel, Richard Sherman and Raheem Mostert return to the field in Week 12, and each played a big role in the win. It certainly helps that the 6-5 Arizona Cardinals lost on Sunday as well.
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The Cardinals hold the seventh and final spot in the NFC playoff picture, while the Minnesota Vikings (5-6) and Chicago Bears (5-6) are ahead of the 49ers.
So, just how big was the 49ers' win over the Rams? The New York Times' playoff predictor says the win increased San Francisco's playoff chances from 11 percent to 24 percent. That's a 13-percent increase. The playoff predictor shows beating the Buffalo Bills (8-3) would move the 49ers' playoff chances up to 35 percent.
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The 49ers still have games against the Bills, Washington Football Team (4-7), Dallas Cowboys (3-8), Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks (7-3). They also might not have home-field advantage again this season. The 49ers' next two home games will be played in Arizona after Santa Clara County's ban due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
San Francisco 49ers
There still is a chance the 49ers could play the Seahawks at Levi's Stadium in the season finale.