The San Francisco 49ers extended their winning streak to five games with a 48-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, building momentum as they head into the postseason. San Francisco had already clinched a playoff berth Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Detroit Lions, but the final games of the regular season remain crucial.
If the 49ers can win their remaining two games—against the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks—they will not only secure the NFC West title but also earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
The win also moved San Francisco up a spot in the NFC West standings, edging the Los Angeles Rams for second place.
NFC West standings (after Week 16):
- Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
- San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has long emphasized staying focused on the present, but he admitted Sunday night marked the first time he discussed the playoffs with his team.
"I told them all year I didn't want to talk about that, but last night we got in, so I was able to talk about that," Shanahan said after Monday night's victory. "When you know you're in the playoffs, then you shift your goals next, and that's trying to make the playoffs the best situation we possibly can do.
"So, we'd love to try to play a home game at Levi's, and we knew the only way to do that was to [start with a] win tonight versus the Colts. We got that done, and now we gotta look to do that versus Chicago."
In the broader NFC playoff picture, the 49ers moved up a spot. If the season ended today, they would face the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card Round in Charlotte. Both San Francisco and Seattle control their own destinies—winning out guarantees home-field advantage for either team.
NFC playoff picture (after Week 16)
- Seattle Seahawks (12-3)*
- Chicago Bears (11-4)*
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)*
- Carolina Panthers (8-7)*
- San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)
* Denotes division leader