Getty Christian McCaffrey runs towards Asante Samuel Jr. on November 13, 2022.
The focus for the San Francisco 49ers is on Estadio Azteca for Monday, November 20 with the Arizona Cardinals across the way in the Mexico City.
But there are those who already have one eye fixated on the standings — as the month of November presents the first true playoff push for teams.
And, the 5-4 49ers can now increase their movement in the NFC following not one, but two contenders falling flat on their face on Sunday, November 20.
‘Good News’ Coming for 49ers
For any viewer who watched the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings‘ nationally televised broadcast, they witnessed the visiting Cowboys pummeling a team that shared the league’s best record at 8-1 with their 40-3 romp in the Twin Cities.
Earlier on Sunday, anyone who tuned in to the New York Giants and Detroit Lions contest watched the visiting team smack a previous 7-2 franchise 31-18 at MetLife Stadium.
David Lombardi of The Athletic brought up why both the Vikings and Giants getting routed becomes “good news” for the 49ers.
“The regression we’ve been awaiting from Minnesota (#17 DVOA [defense adjusted value over average] with an 8-1 record entering today) may finally be here. Good news for the 49ers, as was the NY Giants loss,” Lombardi tweeted.
That tweet left 49er fans convinced that S.F. can capitalize starting Monday.
“Reality is simply setting in, nothing more. Most these teams been beating sub .500 teams padding their stats. We just need to handle our business,” said one fan named William Handy to Lombardi.
“I mean could they really still get the 2 seed,” asked another fan.
Another fan, though, wasn’t convinced of both teams all along.
“It’s called playing mediocre teams most of the year,” the fan named Phil Caster posted to Lombardi.
Another fan, meanwhile, has this wishful thought involving Pro Bowl quarterback for the Vikings Kirk Cousins.
“Time for Kirk Cousins to put up another 200 yards and 3 TDs to lose by multiple scores in a way that makes people really wish he was the 49ers QB,” the fan asked.
Currently, the 49ers sit at the No. 7 overall seed and holding onto the last NFC wildcard playoff spot…which would set up a meeting with the Vikings had the season ended Sunday. The 49ers have not only won their last four of six games, but since the Christian McCaffrey trade have won their last two games.
With the Cowboys’ victory in Minnesota, the Eagles gain one game over the Vikings for No. 1 seed in the NFC.
1. Eagles 9-1
2. Vikings 8-2
3. Seahawks 6-4
4. Buccaneers 5-5
5. Giants 7-3
6. Cowboys 7-3
7. 49ers 5-4
Seven regular-season games remaining
But outside of fans, there are NFL analysts who are believing the 49ers are looking like a top three team in their power rankings. One of them is Philadelphia Eagles radio reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks.
My NFC Power Rankings:
1. Eagles
2. Cowboys
3. 49ers
4. Buccaneers
5. Vikings
6. Giants
Figuring Out Who Has Easier Road
So who has the easy road moving forward amongst the trio of the Vikings, Giants and 49ers as the playoff races will soon intensify? Here’s a breakdown:
Vikings: The now 8-2 Vikes has four opponents under .500 the rest of the way in the Lions (December 11), Indianapolis Colts (December 18), Green Bay Packers (4-7) and Chicago Bears (3-7) — which could give them a 12-win season. But the Vikings have a stout AFC East gauntlet forthcoming — the 5-4 New England Patriots on November 27 and the 6-3 New York Jets on December 4. Perhaps their Christmas Eve home game against the Giants at home can come with high seeding implications.
Giants: The G-Men are facing teams that are a combined 34-16 right now…giving them the toughest remaining schedule among NFL teams. And five of those contests are against NFC East foes, which includes the league’s best team the Eagles for two games.
49ers: Including the MNF contest with the Cards, the 49ers have four games left against teams that are either two or four games behind the .500 mark. And the three teams either at or above .500 left on the schedule — the Miami Dolphins (7-3, December 4), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5, December 11) and the Washington Commanders (6-5, Christmas Eve) — are all at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers would sit at 13-4 if they win out…and could leapfrog both the Vikes and Giants if the latter two teams don’t get out of the current funk they’re in.