As the 49ers sit one game away from the No. 1 seed in the NFC, let's look at how it can be made possible.
The San Francisco 49ers head into the final week of the regular season with everything they could want still on the table, and everything still at stake.
After a chaotic Week 17 that included a stunning loss by the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco now stands just one win away from claiming the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the all-important first-round bye.
The path is straightforward, but it is far from easy.
The 49ers will host the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in a winner-take-all matchup for the top spot in the conference.
Whichever team wins will finish with the best NFC record and secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Lose, however, and San Francisco risks tumbling down the seeding ladder.
Thanks to the Rams’ unexpected 27–24 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons, the playoff landscape behind the top seed has grown increasingly complex.
While the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds will be split between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, and the NFC South will send its division winner as the No. 4 seed, three teams remain entangled in the race for the remaining premium spots: the 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams.
If San Francisco takes care of business against Seattle, the math is simple.
The 49ers claim the No. 1 seed, the Seahawks slide to No. 5, and the Rams settle in at No. 6.
That outcome would give the 49ers a week of rest and force their rivals to battle through the Wild Card round.
A loss, however, opens the door to several less favorable outcomes.
Should Seattle beat San Francisco and the Rams handle the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers would finish tied with Los Angeles at 12–5.
With the season series split and identical division records, the tiebreaker would come down to results against common opponents, an area where the Rams hold the edge.
That would drop San Francisco all the way to the No. 6 seed.
There is a slightly softer landing if the Rams stumble in Week 18.
In that case, a 49ers loss would still leave them ahead of Los Angeles and slotted at No. 5, with Seattle claiming the top seed.
While the No. 5 seed could present a favorable first-round matchup against a struggling NFC South opponent, it’s hardly the preferred route for a team built to dominate from the top.
Ultimately, the message for San Francisco is clear: control what you can control.
A win over Seattle erases every tiebreaker, every outside result, and every potential headache.
With the conference’s top seed, a bye week, and a direct path to the NFC Championship Game on the line, the 49ers have every reason, and every opportunity, to finish the regular season exactly how a Super Bowl contender should.