The 49ers finished the regular season with a 12-5 record and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They are the favorite to make it to the Super Bowl in the NFC. This year's playoffs are less of a cakewalk than many sports pundits believe. The 49ers have a 27-10 playoff record, and their last home playoff loss was 20-17 to the New York Giants in the 2011 NFC Championship Game.
Other shocking home losses include a 30-20 defeat against the Dallas Cowboys in the 1992 NFC Championship Game and a 15-13 loss to the New York Giants in the 1990 NFC Championship Game. The Minnesota Vikings bounced out the Niners in the 1988 Divisional Round. The 49ers were 13-2 and the top seed but lost 36-24.
These are the losses the Niners suffered while owning the top seed, and each team entering the playoffs has a chance to pull off an upset at Levi's Stadium.
Green Bay Packers
The term "Any Given Sunday" is more than the name of a movie. Everyone is projecting the Packers to get smoked by Dallas on Sunday, but this young team is a year ahead of schedule. If they can get past the Cowboys, they will travel to Santa Clara.
Quarterback Jordan Love has led his team to playoffs in his first year as the full-time starter, unlike his predecessor, who led the team to a 6-10 record, third in the NFC North, and missed the playoffs. The fourth-year quarterback's confidence has grown since the Packers' 29-22 Week 12 win against the Lions.
Love has thrown 16 touchdowns and two interceptions in a seven-game stretch. He has four pass catchers who have been electric all season, led by wide receiver Christian Watson. The Packers also have a running back duo in AJ Dillion and Aaron Jones, which could be a problem for the 49ers' front seven.
The Packers' defense may be ranked 17th, but because the two teams have playoff history, don't be surprised if this young squad grows up before our eyes.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stop me if you heard this before. A quarterback who everyone thought was washed up goes to Tampa and wins a Super Bowl in his first year at the helm. Could this be déjà vu? Since the Bucs lost 27-14 to the 49ers in Week 11, the team has gone 6-3 and won the NFC South Division for the third consecutive year. The Bucs' seventh-ranked defense could help get them in position to make a deep playoff run led by linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Antoine Winfield Jr.
Offensively, quarterback Baker Mayfield can do what the previous starting quarterback did his first year in Tampa, leading a team that struggled all season, finished strong, and won Super Bowl LV.
The 49ers held Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans to five receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown when the two teams played in November, but he is capable of giving the 49ers secondary nightmares. As is his co-star, Chris Godwin.
Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys
Both teams will be looking for "get back" against the 49ers. The Cowboys have not been taken seriously since the Week 5 42-10 rout, and the Eagles the same since Week 13's 42-19 defeat.
This Eagles fan made a proclamation:
History could be on the wrong side for the 49ers if they play the Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. In 1981, Dallas lost in a classic NFC Championship Game, which kicked off one of the greatest dynasties of all time. Even though the Niners had home-field advantage, Dallas was projected to go on to the Super Bowl.
Forty-three years later, the roles are reversed. The 49ers are the favorite in the NFC to go to the Super Bowl, and Dallas will have revenge on their mind. Philly may not have a playoff rivalry like San Francisco has with the Cowboys, but they have an unsung history that showed they could limp into the playoffs, having lost four of the last five games, and still produce some magic. The playoffs are a new season, and miracles may happen.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are a division rival who would love to ruin the 49ers season. After starting the season with a 3-6 record, the Rams ended it winning seven of eight games, including a Week 18 21-20 victory over the 49ers (even though it was in a meaningless game).
When rivals play each other, all records and previous matchups go out the window, and the Rams' hot streak could possibly end the 49ers' season. Running back Kyren Williams and wide receiver Puka Nacua have been the perfect safety net for Matthew Stafford, while their middle-of-the-road defense, led by future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald, could make some noise.
Detroit Lions
In the words of Detroit's greatest rapper, "Will the real Lions please stand up?" There are games where the Lions look like world beaters, and then there are the performances against the Ravens and the Bears. Head coach Dan Campbell has the Lions playing like contenders. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 1,960 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Quarterback Jared Goff resurrected his career with 4,575 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Detroit has four standout wide receivers led by Amon-Ra St. Brown, who could give the 49ers secondary fits along with "George Kittle protégé" Sam LaPorta. The former Hawkeye has made an instant impact with the Lions and helped Goff be a different quarterback.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions are ranked second against the run and could stifle the 49ers' rushing attack, so Brock Purdy's maturation will be needed to take on their 27th-ranked pass defense.