49ers Will Have to Wait Another Week to Clinch the NFC's No. 1 Seed

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Entering Week 16, there was a chance for the San Francisco 49ers to clinch the No. 1 seed for the NFC playoffs.

Unfortunately, that opportunity was ruined following the first slate of games on Sunday. The 49ers needed the Detroit Lions to lose as the first step towards allowing them the ability to clinch. Following that, they would have needed the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles to lose.

The Lions defeated the Minnesota Vikings earlier today, thus ending any scenario of the 49ers locking up the top seed. A bit of a bummer now that the Cowboys have lost to the Dolphins, so it would’ve made the scenario for the 49ers increasingly likely entering their Monday night Christmas matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

San Francisco will have to wait another week to clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed. It was always going to be tough for them to have that opportunity anyways. To have three playoff teams lose in the same week was a stretch. Then, the 49ers would need to defeat a strong Ravens team. This actually is better for the 49ers. Clinching the No. 1 seed this week with two games left is fairly early.

It would’ve created a situation where the 49ers would possibly let their foot off the gas. The last time they did that was after Week 5 when they destroyed the Cowboys. What ended up happening after that was a three game losing streak, which is still their only three losses of the season. It’s better to clinch the No. 1 seed with a game left, or even in the season finale to keep the 49ers focused as they surge into the playoffs.