Why the 49ers are perfectly positioned for playoff success

Destiny is well and truly in their hands.

Nov 2, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sideline during the first half of a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers are now in the perfect situation ahead of the playoffs.

They are now 11–4 on the season, with two games to go, ahead of a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.

The organization’s playoff picture looked uncertain at the start of the season. Several key veterans departed, and the team instead invested in a younger, inexperienced secondary.

Not to mention the long-term injuries to George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, and starting quarterback Brock Purdy, along with numerous other injuries on both sides of the ball.

That said, the 49ers have still lost four games this season. That inexperience was exposed after world-class players Nick Bosa and Fred Warner suffered season-ending injuries in Weeks 3 and 6, placing far more pressure on the rest of the defense.

However, the organization has lost only two games since Warner’s injury and now sits on a five-game winning streak. Robert Saleh deserves every credit in his second stint as defensive coordinator in San Francisco.

Why the 49ers are now in the perfect situation

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

After Warner went down, the playoffs appeared out of reach. Bosa’s loss was tough, but Warner’s absence at the heart of the defense, for the first real time in his career, was especially notable.

The achievement deserves all the plaudits, and the team is now perfectly positioned to close the season.

After their NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, defeated the Los Angeles Rams, it first came to light that the 49ers had a possible chance at the NFC No. 1 seed.

After defeating the Indianapolis Colts 48–29 on the road, they now face the Chicago Bears and the Seahawks in the final two games to clinch it. Sounds simple on paper, right?

Please keep in mind that the 49ers had already beaten the Seahawks this season, back in Week 1. The Seahawks have lost only two more games since then.

These two games are crucial for their playoff seeding. While they can relax knowing they’re in, winning both would be the cherry on top in a season defined by adversity.

If the 49ers clinch the No. 1 seed, they’ll get a week off to recover and play their final two games at Levi’s Stadium. The last two times they held the top seed in the NFC, they reached the Super Bowl. This year, with the Super Bowl hosted at Levi’s, the motivation couldn’t be higher. Just five more wins to go.

But as always in the NFL, you're only as good as your last game.