Lynch reveals if the Niners possess true championship caliber. He stresses incremental improvement and health as keys to seizing the wide-open NFC title race.
The San Francisco 49ers are good enough to make the playoffs. For most of the season, that has been a certainty to those inside and out of the franchise. But what can the team do once it reaches the postseason?
San Francisco general manager and former star Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety John Lynch gave his honest assessment of where his team is at this point. He shared the following thoughts.
"I think what we've done the best job of doing is just thinking about the next week, and that gets very cliché. It's hard to do.
Who would have thought, after we played Carolina, that they'd go beat the Rams? Well, they did. ... And so, I think what it shows is this year, it's anyone's championship out there. And I think it's going to come down to who can have some good fortune in terms of being healthy at the right time.
But are you getting better each week? And that's one thing I'm really proud of our team, and I think Kyle has done an incredible job leading us. We're finding a way, in each phase, to get a little bit better each week."
The Niners have more than their fair share of tough games upcoming as the season nears the finish line. Even so, Sunday's performance was an example of the team mastering the mundane and being great against lesser opposition.
San Francisco handled business against the Cleveland Browns (3-9) in a 26-8 victory that few if any will remember when the season is over. Lynch and company have practiced what they preach focusing each week on the next task at hand. He believes that will be the key to reaching their ultimate goals.
Still, the questions are unavoidable. Are the Niners good enough to make a postseason run? Lynch believes the current NFC field makes it possible noting that it's "anyone's championship," and health could be the determining factor.
The Niners are in a better place on that front with starting quarterback Brock Purdy back from injury. Star running back Christian McCaffrey's 2025 health has perhaps been the story of the year, as he has stacked impressive statistics both as a rusher and a receiver.
The team's divisional rival the Los Angeles Rams stand as the clear favorite, but Lynch notes even the Rams proved themselves vulnerable. It's anyone's championship if Lynch is correct. The Niners will look to get into the tournament with a strong finish.