NFC Playoff picture: The 49ers have their eyes on the top two seeds

The 49ers are quickly rising up the playoff standings as they find themselves locked into the #3 seed as we head into Week 12:

#1 Eagles - 9-1
#2 Vikings - 8-2
#3 49ers - 6-4
#4 Buccaneers - 5-5
#5 Cowboys - 7-3
#6 - Giants -7-3
#7 Seahawks 6-4

The Commanders, Falcons, Lions, Packers, and Saints are technically in the running, but I don’t recognize them as playoff threats, so we’ll leave it to the seven teams listed.

San Francisco has to love the spot they’re in. The remaining passing defenses are all favorable and mostly below average. Kyle Shanahan called 14 passes on the final 15 plays of the first half against the Arizona Cardinals Monday night. It’s almost as if he’s preparing us for what’s to come.

As for the teams in front of the Niners, Minnesota always felt like paper tigers. Their record would disagree, but just a few weeks ago, they were down ten in the fourth quarter to Taylor Heinicke and the Commanders — the same team that beat the Eagles on the road convincingly.

As a team, the Vikings are 24th in DVOA. Compare that to the sixth-ranked 49ers or the fourth-ranked Eagles, and it’s easy to see why that isn’t a team to worry about.

With their eyes on the top two seeds, a matchup against Tampa Bay looms large for the 49ers, as does a Thursday night game on the road against their most hated rivals in a game that’s likely to decide the division.

The final month and a half of the season should be full of excitement and unknowns that’ll keep us on the edge of our seats. It wouldn’t be a 49er season if it didn’t.