NFL.com analysts made their playoff predictions. Twenty, including names like DeAngelo Hall, Brian Baldinger, and Maurice Jones-Drew, picked the San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC West, earning a home playoff game. Five analysts, including David Carr and Marc Sessler, went with the Seattle Seahawks.
With its 4-4 record, San Francisco currently sits in second place in the NFC West, looking up at the division-leading 6-3 Seahawks. The 49ers are 3-0 against NFC West opponents, including a Week 2 victory over Seattle. The team has two games against the Arizona Cardinals remaining and a Week 15 rematch against the Seahawks at Lumen Field.
Hall explained why he doesn't believe Seattle's impressive run will continue and why the 49ers will eventually overtake their division rival.
"The Seahawks have grasped the division lead at the midway point, but the 49ers' talent is too good to deny," Hall explained. "Kyle Shanahan has one of the best rosters in the league, and that will show when his team surges ahead late in the year to claim its first division title since 2019 -- when the 49ers went to the Super Bowl."
The 49ers expect to be healthier exiting their bye week. The team added versatile running back Christian McCaffrey and is preparing to welcome wide receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Elijah Mitchell, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, and fullback Kyle Juszczyk back to the fold. Others, like defensive lineman Arik Armstead and cornerback Jason Verrett, could also be close to returning.
Most analysts believe Seattle will make it to the postseason, though. Nineteen voted for the team from the Pacific Northwest to grab the second of three Wildcard spots, with the Dallas Cowboys earning the first and the New York Giants earning the last.
As for the rest of the division leaders, NFL.com has the Philadelphia Eagles winning the NFC East, the Minnesota Vikings winning the NFC North, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning the NFC South.
