49ers-Bears final. 13. 57. Final. 38. 42
The San Francisco 49ers easily saved their season with a win against the Chicago Bears. The Week 14 victory put the defending NFC champions just two games behind the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks. The two teams have split games this season, too, as both squads have won on the road against the other.
San Francisco still has to leap past the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams in the division standings to clinch a playoff spot. The Niners still have one game left against these two teams as the 49ers host the Rams this Thursday and travel to Arizona in Week 18.
It is unlikely any team from the division would clinch a Wild Card as three teams in NFC North have more wins than any member in the 49ers' division. A pair of teams in the NFC East are also well above the .500 mark.
While it's nice to see San Francisco defeat Chicago 38-13 on Sunday, these questions remain and/or are now relevant.
A loss would have surely put them out of the running but not definitively. The win certainly keeps their playoff hopes alive as the Niners have not missed the playoffs since 2020 when they went 6-10 on the year.
The 49ers have the same record as the Cardinals whom they still have one more game against. Same with their in-state foe, the Rams.
As a result of Sunday's win, the 49ers would be tied at 7-7 with the Rams if they win again on Thursday. The last remaining opponents for San Francisco are the Miami Dolphins, the Detroit Lions and then the Cardinals.
It doesn't look like anyone is beating the NFC North front-runner, the Lions, anytime soon. However, the games against the Rams, Dolphins and Cardinals are all winnable.
Thus, the chances of winning the NFC West for a third straight season are there.
The Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings in Weeks 15 and 16, respectively. The Haws then travel to Chicago and then finish the season at SoFI Stadium to play the Rams.
The Cardinals have a slightly easier schedule as their next two games are against a pair of teams with a combined six wins (New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers). In Week 17, the red birds travel to SoFI Stadium, too, before they get the 49ers in the season finale.
Of the Rams' remaining four games, three are against NFC West foes. The Rams get the New York Jets on the road in Week 16 before they finish their season with a pair of home games (Cardinals and Seahawks).
Not only does San Francisco need to win three of these last four (at least), it also needs help from teams outside the NFC West (specifically the NFC North).
It's not out of the question, but it's worth asking if the 49ers can win the division still.
Anytime a team wins, especially this late in the season, their draft position is affected. Not in a good way, either.
San Francisco is cozied up next to two of its own division rivals in the current draft order (after Week 14). If the season ended today, the Cardinals would draft No. 16 and the Rams would draft two spots after them. The 49ers have the pick in between, No. 17.
Prior to Sunday's win over the Bears, the Niners were slated at the 14th pick. That's only a three-spot jump.
However, all it takes is any one team to be ahead of you looking at similar needs or the same prospects to ruin your draft. San Francisco has its own first-, second-, third- and fourth-round picks, in addition to a compensatory pick late in the third round for the 2025 NFL Draft in April.
The 49ers need help on defense and the offensive line. More wins would increase the team's chances to make the postseason for a fourth year in a row. Yet, the losses help San Francisco's draft positioning.
In other words, the win hurt the 49ers' draft position some. It will be worth it if they are confident they can beat out their three nemeses in the division.
Though that's a tall order.
The win against the Bears did silence some of that chatter. A fourth straight loss would have had head coach Kyle Shanahan thinking about preserving his franchise quarterback for the 2025 season.
Backup Brandon Allen wasn't atrocious against the Packers in Week 12, but he also didn't do great. His performance resulted in a demotion as Joshua Dobbs was elevated to the second string.
Brought in on a one year instead of re-signing last year's back up, Sam Darnold, Dobbs has yet to up a stat sheet this season.
The injury bug has blasted the 49ers' locker room. Running backs Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason have all been affected by it. Mitchell never played and the other two appear to be done for the year.
Aiyuk is also out the rest of the year and other positions on the roster have been banged up.
Sitting Purdy should definitely be on the table again. Definitely so if they lose on Thursday against the Rams.
Christian McCaffrey is expected to return and be healthy in 2025, hopefully. Jordan Mason did well in his third year with the team as the primary option to enter the season.
Rookie Issac Guerendo scored twice on Sunday. He had the most carries in a game all season (15) and doubled his touchdown total.
Mitchell could be the odd man out. It's not hard to imagine the 49ers moving on from an aging veteran at running back who is injured on a yearly basis.
He will turn 27 years old in May. As the secondary option at running back last year, Mitchell collected 281 rushing yards on 75 carries and scored twice.
Guerendo, meanwhile, has nearly 60 more yards on almost 20 less carries.
San Francisco won't keep all four runnings backs. With Guerendo's strong play on Sunday in the win against the Bears, he may have solidified himself as the backup to McCaffrey next year.
The 38-13 blowout made the 49ers look like a juggernaut in the NFC again. Yet, beating up on a team with a rookie quarterback and an interim coach who just took over a few days before isn't exactly impressive.
San Francisco is set at quarterback (in theory) with Brock Purdy. When healthy, the Niners are deep at running back. The same goes for the wide receiver position between.
Jauan Jennings is showing his worth as he caught another two touchdown receptions. He was extended to the 2025 season prior to the start of this one.
Tight end George Kittle is playing lights out this season as he is not showing any decline in his game. On Sunday, he had a team-high 151 yards on just six catches.
The offensive line needs help. Trent Williams is 36 years old, and the All-Pro offensive tackle did not play against the Bears.
Reserve guard Jon Feliciano has been on the injured reserve list all year, and center Jake Brendel turns 33 years old in September of next year.
San Francisco's offensive line is aging.
The 49ers may also want to focus on the defense in the draft. All three losses against NFC West opponents came as a result of fourth-quarter collapses. The defense simply couldn't hold on to fourth-quarter leads.
Rookie Dominic Puni has done well. Spending a first- or second-day pick in April to help bolster the O-line would be wise. Thus, the secondary or some run-defense support are also areas of interest for general manager John Lynch and his scouting team.
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