Typically a Sunday off for the 49ers means there are several games for fans to keep an eye on that could impact San Francisco. That’s not the case in Week 12 with only one game affecting the 49ers and their quest for the No. 1 seed.
That one game is massive though. It’s the Bills visiting the Eagles for a 1:25pm Pacific Time kickoff.
If the Eagles win it lightens the stakes of the 49ers-Eagles showdown in Philadelphia a little since Philly would still have a two-game lead on San Francisco. It would still be a huge game since the Eagles could effectively lock up the one seed by beating the 49ers, while San Francisco would still be one game back even if they won at Philly. They would hold the all important head-to-head tiebreaker though, which would be crucial in the scenario where they’re still a game back.
However, that situation pales in comparison to what happens if Philadelphia loses to Buffalo.
If the Bills win and drop the Eagles to 9-2, it sets up a showdown for the NFC’s top seed in Week 13. A 49ers win over a 9-2 Eagles squad puts both teams at 9-3 and gives San Francisco the head-to-head tiebreaker. A 49ers loss in that scenario would effectively end their hopes of a top seed in the NFC since they’d be two back and not hold the tiebreaker.
Things could get messy down the stretch in the NFC with the Lions also in the mix for the No. 1 seed. For now though the Eagles are directly ahead of the 49ers and losses for them put San Francisco in a more advantageous spot heading into their NFC championship game rematch in Week 13.
