The 49ers have put themselves in a tough spot to make the playoffs. The Niners are currently at 4-4 after losing multiple games to their bitter rivals. If the Red and Gold want another shot at the Super Bowl, they have to eliminate some of the major competition in the NFC. Which teams will be the biggest threats to this team’s play-off hopes?

If I had been told at the beginning of the year that there was a chance the entire NFC North would make the playoffs, I would have called you a liar. Currently, the Lions, Packers and Vikings are in the top 7 in the NFC and are expected to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Bears remain in 8th place, just ahead of the Niners. These teams all have a great combination of offense and great defense, but they are all different. The Lions have one of the most exciting offenses in the league and an incredible defense. They are complete in every way, and when you combine Dan Campbell’s ferocity with Jared Goff, magic happens. The Vikings acquired Sam Darnold from the 49ers, I saw this as another backup opportunity for Sam. I was so wrong. Darnold looked like the MVP for most of the season, and Kevin O’Connell’s defense was top 5 in the league. The Packers have an offensive wizard named Matt LaFleur, who lights up the running game with effective run-blocking schemes and defends the dogs. And who can forget the fact that they didn’t even need Jordan Love to win games, while newly traded Malik Willis helped them win games against good teams. Even the Bears look good, maybe Caleb Williams wasn’t as projected but this defense is winning them games. Every team in the NFC North has a chance to make the playoffs. And if they all make it, it will be much harder for the Niners to do so unless they win the division. The Niners will have the chance to face all three of these teams in the coming weeks, and although they want to win, they could risk a loss against the Lions or Packers.

The 2024 Cardinals are a completely new team. Last season, the seeds of rebirth were planted in names like Trey McBride and Michael Wilson, but they did not look like they could pose a threat this season. They are now No. 1 in the NFC West at 5-4. The addition of a new coach in Gannon and the draft’s top wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr., has paved the way for the offense. Their defense is still nothing to show for, but it was enough to beat the Niners in Week 5. Are they a top 10 team? No, but they are the leaders of the NFC West. The Niners’ best chance to make the playoffs is to win the division. It seems within the realm of possibility for the Cardinals to lose some games, but there’s no way the Niners can at this point. If they lose the same number of games as the Cardinals, their last game of the season against each other will mean a lot. Hopefully they can secure the play-offs before week 18.

The LA Rams may be the biggest threat to the Niners’ playoff hopes. The 49ers had the chance to play them for the first time in Week 3 and had a classic. Kyle Shanahan Loss after defeat in the 4th Quarter. This can’t happen again. Right now the Rams are 4-4 and I think that’s the biggest threat to the 49ers’ playoff hopes. The Rams have shown they can win against some of the best teams and appear to be performing well with a healthy Puka Nacua returning. The Rams have a 3-game winning streak and can easily extend it to 5 with their upcoming games against the Dolphins and Patriots. If that happens, the Niners will struggle to make the playoffs in what should be their last chance at the Super Bowl. That would be disastrous. The Niners are supposed to be a new team coming in this week. They can no longer be the team that loses to the Cardinals and Rams. They need to be the team that goes to the Super Bowl and duels with the Chiefs. A team no one wants to face. They are not like that anymore. A team with a lot of question marks. I hope “?” They can change the sign. with “!” and they will get the play-off place expected of them.