The Shanaplan: Can the 49ers still make the playoffs this season?

Whether you check the standings or this site earlier this week, the 49ers’ playoff hopes are slim. At 4-6, they’re going to have to hope the cavalry led by Raheem Mostert, Deebo Samuel, and Richard Sherman can carry this team to a winning streak to end the season. Kyle Shanahan certainly seems to be singing that tune, but how realistic is that scenario? Our own Kyle Posey and Akash Anavarathan broke it down in today’s podcast.

[Click here to listen, or click on the player at the bottom of this page.]

“Realistically, they’d have to finish 5-1 and probably still need some type of help to make the playoffs,” Posey said, “They can be competitive in the games, but the margin for error is just not there. Especially with the current roster as it stands.”

That’s essentially what the rest of the season will come down to for the 49ers. How much do Raheem Mostert, Deebo Samuel, and Richard Sherman expand that margin for error? Does a long Mostert run help flip field position and mitigate a terrible Nick Mullens interception earlier in the game? Does Richard Sherman’s presence force a quarterback to throw the ball into coverage elsewhere and generate a turnover?

One thing that does seem to sit in San Francisco’s favor is that they aren’t exactly playing the most consistent quarterbacks to close out the season. All of them can be excellent, but they can all have a clunker every now and again, too. Even 49ers-killer Russell Wilson seems to be faltering a bit, with 10 turnovers in his last four games.

What do you think? Can the Niners rally after puking all over their shoes for the first ten games of the year, or are we doomed to watch yet another losing season while the rest of the NFC West thrives?

BTW, here are some other topics covered in the pod:

-Which wide receivers flashed against the Saints?

-The number one area the 49ers have regressed in this season

-Reaction to Shanahan’s quote about Jimmy G.’s future