Fooch's note: I thought this was worth moving to the front, just for the effort of figuring out a way for the 49ers to make the playoffs. I don't expect this, but a little irrational enthusiasm doesn't hurt!

Hello Niner Family!

So after this weekend's great game, I've started to ask myself "Can we be good enough and other teams be bad enough to make the playoffs?". Then Jim Mora proceeded to interrupt my thought process:

But I've done some digging, did a little math, and yes IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE 2015 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS CAN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!

How you ask? Well let me show you how!

Below is all of the NFC games that have playoff implications, and the Win/Loss record next to each team if the outcome were to happen. So let's begin!

Week 14:

Arizona (11-2) beats Minnesota (8-5)
Carolina (13-0) beats Atlanta (6-7)
Buffalo (7-6) beats Philadelphia (5-8)
Detroit (5-8) beats St. Louis (4-9)
New Orleans (5-8) beats Tampa Bay (6-7)
San Francisco (5-8) beats Cleveland (2-11)
Washington (6-7) beats Chicago (5-8)
Green Bay (9-4) beats Dallas (4-9)
Baltimore (5-8) beats Seattle (7-6)
Miami (6-7) beats New York Giants (5-8)

With that, the St Louis Rams would be out of playoff contention. Now on to Week 15!

Week 15:

St. Louis (5-9) beats Tampa Bay (6-8)
New York Jets beat Dallas (4-10)
Arizona (12-2) beats Philadelphia (5-9)
Jacksonville beats Atlanta (6-8)
Buffalo beats Washington (6-8)
Carolina (14-0) beats New York Giants (5-9)
Chicago (6-8) beats Minnesota (8-6)
Cleveland beats Seattle (7-7)
Green Bay (10-4) beats Oakland
San Francisco (6-8) beats Cincinnati
Detroit (6-8) beats New Orleans (5-9)

This eliminates the Saints from playoff contention. On to Week 16 y'all!

Week 16

Washington (7-8) beats Philadelphia (5-10)
Carolina (15-0) beats Atlanta (6-9)
Chicago (7-8) beats Tampa Bay (6-9)
Buffalo beats Dallas (4-11)
New York Giants (6-9) beat Minnesota (8-7)
San Francisco (7-8) beats Detroit (6-9)
Arizona (13-2) beats Green Bay (10-5)
St. Louis (6-9) beats Seattle (7-8)
Jacksonville beats New Orleans (5-10)

This eliminates Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Dallas from the playoffs. On to Week 17!

Week 17

Detroit beats Chicago (both teams end up 7-9)
Green Bay (11-5) defeats Minnesota (8-8)
Philadelphia (6-10) beats New York Giants (6-10)
New Orleans (6-10) beats Atlanta (6-10)
Arizona (14-2) beats Seattle (7-9)
Tampa Bay (7-9) beats Carolina (15-1)
San Francisco (8-8) beats St. Louis (6-10)
Dallas (5-11) beats Washington (7-9)

This gives us the #5 seed, as Minnesota and San Francisco will make the playoffs and we would pull ahead of Minnesota because of the win against them in Week 1.

Official Standings

NFC East

Washington (7-9)
Philadelphia (6-10)
New York Giants (6-10)
Dallas (5-11)

NFC South

Carolina (15-1)
Tampa Bay (7-9)
New Orleans (6-10)
Atlanta (6-10)

NFC North

Green Bay (11-5)
Minnesota (8-8)
Chicago (7-9)
Detroit (7-9)

NFC West

Arizona (14-2)
San Francisco (8-8)
Seattle (7-9)
St. Louis (6-10)

Yes, there is a chance!