The San Francisco 49ers have had some horrible injury luck throughout the first half of the 2024 NFL season.
Reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey missed the first nine weeks of the season, star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is out for the year after tearing his ACL and MCL, and starting defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is out for the season with a partially torn triceps.
Still, the 49ers are firmly in the postseason mix. Can the Niners salvage their season and make the playoffs, even after losing to the Seahawks in Week 11?
Can the 49ers Make the Playoffs?
After all the action in Week 11, the San Francisco 49ers are 5-5 and now have a 35.8% chance to make the playoffs.
They have a 0.2% chance for the 1 seed, a 2.5% chance for the second seed, a 10.1% chance for the third seed, a 2.3% chance for the fourth seed, a 1.6% chance for the fifth seed, a 6.1% chance for the sixth seed, and a 13.0% chance for the seventh seed.
Can the 49ers Win the NFC West?
Here’s what the NFC West race looks like after all the Sunday action in Week 11:
- The Arizona Cardinals have a 67.5% chance to win the NFC West.
- The Los Angeles Rams have a 9.5% chance to win the NFC West.
- The San Francisco 49ers have a 15.1% chance to win the NFC West.
- The Seattle Seahawks have a 7.9% chance to win the NFC West.
Current NFC West Standings
- Arizona Cardinals (6-4)
- Los Angeles Rams (5-5)
- Seattle Seahawks (5-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-5)
49ers’ Super Bowl Chances After Week 11
Can the 49ers win the Super Bowl? The PFN Playoff Predictor projects that San Francisco has a 1.6% chance to win it all.
49ers’ Remaining Schedule
- Week 12: at Green Bay Packers
- Week 13: at Buffalo Bills
- Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears
- Week 15: vs. Los Angeles Rams
- Week 16: at Miami Dolphins
- Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions
- Week 18: at Arizona Cardinals
What PFN Predicted for Seahawks vs. 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have beaten Seattle six straight times (including playoffs). Most of those haven’t been close, with five of them coming by double-digits and an average margin of victory of 14.7 PPG. That includes the Week 6 matchup between these teams in Seattle, a 36-24 Niners victory.
Now Christian McCaffrey is back, giving the Seahawks’ embattled defense another headache to confront. McCaffrey was right back in the mix on Sunday, playing over 88% of the snaps and garnering 19 touches.
While he wasn’t quite as explosive as usual, his presence should help boost a Niners offense that has struggled to finish drives this season. After leading the NFL in red zone efficiency in 2023, the 49ers rank 28th in red zone efficiency this year.
Defensively, Nick Bosa seems likely to play through a hip injury in Week 10. If Bosa is compromised at all, that could negate one of the Niners’ biggest potential advantages. Geno Smith has seen the fifth-highest pressure rate this season (39.8%), and the third-highest since Week 6 (41.5%).
With a pair of difficult road games against the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills upcoming, the 49ers cannot afford a slip-up as a clear home favorite. San Francisco still has the reputation of a Super Bowl contender, but it must continue its win streak over Seattle for that perception to still match reality after Sunday.
PFN Prediction: 49ers 33, Seahawks 27