Nick Bosa took the podium after Thursday's practice, addressing reporters as the San Francisco 49ers gear up for their first playoff game. However, that won't be happening this weekend. After securing the top seed in the NFC, the 49ers secured a first-round bye, allowing them to watch Wild Card weekend from the comfort of their homes.
The real work begins next week after the 49ers learn their opponent for the Divisional Playoff round at Levi's Stadium.
Bosa finished the regular season with 10.5 sacks to go along with his career-high 53 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 35 quarterback hits, four passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus credited him with 95 pressures, trailing only Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions.
When asked about his playoff goals, Bosa offered a team-first response: "I just want to help my team win and win three games. That's my focus, for sure."
With the 49ers' playoff positioning secured, Bosa played only eight snaps in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams. This weekend off ensures that he and his teammates will be well-rested for the upcoming Divisional Playoff round.
"I think [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] kind of set it up well for us," acknowledged Bosa. "We had a couple of days off to get feeling good, and then the game obviously wasn't too much for me. ... So yeah, I got a little time there, and then we have two solid practices. Felt good and fresh today. Just work on our stuff a little bit, and then tomorrow will be pads. And then we'll have another two days off. So I think it's a perfect mix of getting fresh but also staying sharp."
As for this weekend's slate of games, Bosa's teammate, linebacker Fred Warner, jokingly declared, "I hope everybody loses."
When asked about any rooting interest in the Wild Card round, Bosa said, "Yeah, definitely [rooting] for [former 49ers defensive coordinator] DeMeco [Ryans of the Houston Texans]. Only talked to [former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike] McDaniel [of the Miami Dolphins] a couple of times. Yeah, no, other than that, just see who we're playing."
Regarding scouting, Bosa mentioned that the 49ers have already faced many of the teams on the NFC side of the playoff bracket, adding, "So just watching, enjoy not beating my body up for a week."
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