49ers Rooting guide: We’re cheering for a pair of upsets

The 49ers meet the Commanders on Saturday in what could be an NFC Wild Card Round preview. While the 49ers punched their ticket to the playoffs last week with their win over Seattle, the Commanders are holding on tight to the final spot in the NFC. Keeping in mind that the Rams and Broncos play on Nickelodeon on Sunday, here are the games to keep an eye on this weekend as the 49ers continue to position themselves in the NFC.

New York Giants (8-5-1) at Minnesota Vikings (11-3)

The 49ers should currently be the No. 2 seed in the NFC, but the Colts couldn’t hold a 33-0 lead against the Vikings. Instead, the 49ers stay at No. 3 as the Vikings take on a Giants team that won their first game in a month last week with a 20-12 win over the Commanders. The Vikings are 7-1 at home this season, but the Giants have also been solid on the road, entering Saturday 4-2 away from MetLife.

A Giants win paired with a 49ers win would move the 49ers to the No. 2 seed due to tiebreakers.

Philadelphia Eagles (13-1) at Dallas Cowboys (10-4)

The window for the 49ers to win the No. 1 seed in the NFC is almost closed, as the Eagles hold a three-game lead with three games remaining. They take on a Cowboys team who desperately needs a win to stay alive in the NFC West and are coming off a crippling loss to the Jaguars. The Eagles beat the Cowboys 26-17 back in Week 6 but will be without Jalen Hurts, with Garner Minshew starting in his place.

I’m not going to be the one to tell 49ers fans to cheer for the Cowboys, but an Eagles loss leaves the door ajar for the No. 1 seed.

Seattle Seahawks (7-7) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)/Detroit Lions (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (5-9)

With the 49ers playing the Commanders and the Giants already mentioned on this list, the Seahawks and Lions are both potential Wild Card matchups for the 49ers. The Giants, Commanders, Seahawks, and Lions are all within a game of each other in the win column, with only two playoff spots available. There’s nobody to cheer for in these games per se but keep an eye on them as they’ll paint a clearer picture for the start of the 49ers' playoff run.