Whitner argues 49ers’ playoff hopes hinge on next two games originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers are in trouble.
San Francisco’s frustrating 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium sent last year’s Super Bowl LVIII runner-up to 5-5 and into last place in the NFC West.
Seven games remain for the 49ers, so there is time for a turnaround. But in the latest segment of “Hitner’s Hot Take,” NBC Sports Bay Area’s Donte Whitner detailed why San Francisco is in serious jeopardy of missing the 2024 NFL playoffs.
“The 49ers are back in panic mode,” Whiter emphatically declared. “In 2024, in the first half of this season, the 49ers have already played six one-score games. And in those six one-score games, they’re only 2-4.
“Consequently, they put themselves behind the eight-ball, and they have some must-win games coming up on the road against their two toughest opponents in the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills. If the 49ers don’t win their next two games consecutively, they will not make the playoffs in 2024.”
The Packers are 7-3 and their home-field advantage at Lambeau Field will be hard to overcome for the California-cool 49ers. And Buffalo is 9-2 – after beating the 9-1 Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, of course – and has a similarly chilly home-field advantage.
San Francisco, its critics and the Faithful will know where its season is heading over the next 14 days. To Whitner’s point, the 49ers falling to 5-7 likely would be the nail in the coffin for their 2024 NFL season.
San Francisco can point to a number of other reasons as to why its season has been disappointing. The special teams unit is the league’s worst, injuries have been rampant and disruptive and inconsistency has infected the 49ers probably more than most pre-season contenders. But as Whitner said, the 49ers haven’t been good in one-score games; San Francisco would be in a much different position if that 2-4 record were flipped.
There won’t be any breaks coming San Francisco’s way. And the next two weeks will be make-or-break for the 49ers as Whitner made clear.
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