SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For the third consecutive season and the fourth time in the past five years, the San Francisco 49ers will be playing in the postseason.
By virtue of San Francisco's 28-16 win against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and the Green Bay Packers' 24-22 loss to the New York Giants on Monday night, the Niners are the first team in the league to punch their ticket to the playoffs.
The 49ers also benefited from the Philadelphia Eagles' loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The 10-3 49ers now sit in the top spot in the NFC playoff picture because they hold tiebreakers over the Eagles and Cowboys and beat both teams.
San Francisco can wrap up the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs if it can win its final four games.