Which NFC Team Poses the Biggest Threat for a 49ers Playoff Run?
A playoff appearance for the San Francisco 49ers this year is essentially a lock. What isn't a lock, however, is a playoff run. As soon as the ball is kicked off during a playoff game all bets are off. No one is a lock to win games and anything can happen, especially in the NFC. The conference is loaded this year and is a significant contrast to the AFC.
As great as the 49ers have been this season, there isn't a huge gap that separates them from the rest of the top NFC teams. Each team has their own unique style that can cause a a mass amount of problems in any matchup. The Seattle Seahawks just proved that against the 49ers the other week on Monday night football.
With so many stacked teams in the NFC, which one poses the biggest threat for a 49ers playoff run?
The knee-jerk reaction may be to say Seattle just because of what they did to the 49ers. They also have MVP front-runner Russell Wilson and he always plays great against them. However, I do not believe that they pose the biggest threat. Seattle is indeed a dangerous team, but the 49ers were in that game until the final seconds of overtime. They had poor performances from their offensive line and wide receivers, yet they easily could have won had Chase McLaughlin connect on the last field goal attempt.
Not to mention the 49ers were already without some key players entering the game, as well as the ones that dropped out during it. That title should be given to the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers would have more than a handful of issues when matching up against the Saints. That is not to say that they cannot win, but that to win against them will be more difficult than the rest. New Orleans doesn't really have a glaring weak spot.
In that sense, they are like the 49ers who do a great job of masking where their Achilles heel is. Drew Brees is the clear and obvious player that draws reason for concern. The tandem of him and Michael Thomas, who is performing as the best receiver this season, seems unstoppable. Then there is the worry about the backfield with Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray.
Every group on the offensive side of the ball is executing sharply. However, it is the defense of the Saints that should draw the greatest concern. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has been a man on a mission with his schemes this season. It also helps to have stellar talents in Marshon Lattimore and Cameron Jordan. Allen isn't the only person on the team who has been on a mission. This entire team is still feeling the burn from last season's NFC Championship game.
It is that burn that they feel that is fueling their anger to punish teams on gameday. This is why it is imperative that the 49ers win the No. 1 seed. A road playoff game against the Saints is less than ideal. Such a chaotic environment for an inexperienced team like the 49ers could cause them to unravel a bit. We will get a sneak peak of what this matchup will look like on Dec. 8 when the two teams square off at the Mercedes-Benz SuperDome.
Before that can happen, the 49ers will get a teaser with another team that poses a threat to their playoff run. Sunday night the 49ers will host the Green Bay Packers who have been surging this season. It is the first game of the 49ers' toughest stretch of the season. If you thought the 49ers were tested so far, then wait until they square off with the Packers, then the Baltimore Ravens and Saints.
This stretch will make-or-break the 49ers. As challenging as this stretch is, it'll actually benefit the 49ers. These three games will only get them battle hardened for the playoffs. Playing against the top teams will allow them to measure up and see where they need to grow. The Saints pose the biggest threat to a 49ers playoff run as of now, but that can easily change by the time the playoffs actually begin.
