49ers' Rooting Guide for NFL Playoff Implications of Week 10
The San Francisco 49ers return from their bye in Week 10 to start a potentially tricky part of their schedule.
The 49ers visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and play three more road games in the five games after Sunday's trip to northern Florida.
Kyle Shanahan's team sits in first place in the NFC West and it could have the division title close to wrapped up after it plays the Seattle Seahawks twice in quick succession in Weeks 12 and 14.
The 49ers could still use some help from around the league in order to enter the first Seattle matchup with a game or two advantage on its NFC West rival.
San Francisco is also in the position to start watching the teams around it in the fight for home-field advantage in the NFC.
The 49ers can only gain a half-game on the idle Philadelphia Eagles, but they could move level on record with the Detroit Lions if they win and get some help from the Los Angeles Chargers.
Commanders over Seahawks
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The 49ers do not necessarily need the Seahawks to lose on Sunday because they can take care of their closest NFC West competition in the coming weeks.
However, it would be nice to see the Washington Commanders win in Seattle so that the 49ers have a buffer in case they split with the Seahawks.
San Francisco comes into Week 10 with the same 5-3 record as Seattle. It owns the divisional record tiebreaker over the Seahawks.
A Washington win would not only drop the Seahawks to 5-4, but it would make them look weaker on the conference record tiebreaker.
There is a chance the 49ers and Seahawks could finish on the same divisional record, and if that is the case, conference record could come into play.
Both teams are currently 4-1 in NFC play and only the Seahawks can alter that mark in Week 10.
Chargers over Lions
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San Francisco should have its eyes on seeding at the top of the NFC.
The 49ers can finish Week 10 on the same record as the Lions if they beat the Jaguars and the NFC North leader stumbles against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Los Angeles is in its own playoff hunt in the AFC wild-card standings. A win over Detroit could go a long way in helping the Chargers finish in the top seven of their own conference.
The 49ers and Lions are currently locked in a battle for the No. 2 seed, which is significant since the winner of that battle would not have to see the Eagles until the NFC Championship Game, or be the team to host the NFC title game if Philadelphia loses.
San Francisco can pick up ground on the Eagles through a head-to-head victory in Week 13, but it does not play Detroit this season.
At the moment, the 49ers and Lions are level on conference record at 4-1. That tiebreaker will not change on Sunday, but the 49ers can at least gain ground in overall record with a win and a Lions defeat.
Vikings over Saints
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The 49ers need a little bit of a safety net in the top four of the NFC in case they stumble against Philadelphia and Seattle.
A loss by the New Orleans Saints would keep the NFC South leader beneath the 49ers for yet another week.
New Orleans could stumble at home against the Minnesota Vikings, who get Justin Jefferson back for Sunday's clash inside the Superdome.
Minnesota is not currently a threat to the 49ers' playoff position because it is in second place in the NFC North behind the Lions.
At this point, the 49ers should prefer to have a buffer between them and the NFC South leader than worry about potential competitors for wild-card positions.
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