The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11, and they are angling for more wins in the weeks ahead. A chance to make the playoffs remains, but they know they will have to fight to make it.
Former quarterback Steve Young has a strong belief about the 49ers’ playoff hopes in the NFC West.
“As they get into January, they have a shot at winning the division. They’re 4-1 in the division. If they can get tied with the [Los Angeles] Rams or the [Seattle] Seahawks, they’ll win the tiebreaker, so they gotta stay close. If they get in the wild card, I feel like they’re going to score points. If Kyle [Shanahan] can figure that out with Brock [Purdy] or Mac [Jones], then you’ve got a shot. If they pull it off, it’s not a miracle, but it’s like the window is so narrow you’ve gotta fit through,” Young said.
"If they pull it off… it's not a miracle, but it's like the window is so narrow you've gotta fit through."@SteveYoungQB on the 49ers' playoff hopes. pic.twitter.com/XUYUZt1GTL
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) November 18, 2025
Young knows the 49ers have challenges awaiting them. He mentioned their division record, but they are currently behind the Rams and Seahawks.
The Niners would love to be atop the NFC West standings when the playoffs start, but that is a tall order. In the games ahead, they will play the Carolina Panthers and the Cleveland Browns before their bye week.
Purdy is back at quarterback after recovering from a toe injury, and he was looking good against the Cardinals, which is making some fans confident, and the 49ers still have Mac Jones as the backup if he is needed. The team is in a position to get to the postseason, but they will have to play solid, consistent football, and hopefully it’ll be free of major injuries.
There is little margin of error for this team, but they know that and will play accordingly.
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