49ers Playoff Hopes Hang in Balance as Key Players’ Status Uncertain

49ers Playoff Hopes Hang in Balance as Key Players’ Status Uncertain

The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a devastating loss to the Baltimore Ravens. To make matters worse, three of their star players were injured in the game and their status was questionable going into Sunday’s game against the Washington Commander.

And while the Commanders are an underdog opponent, the 49ers will want to be at full strength because they have a lot on the line in the NFC playoffs. If the 49ers win their final two games of the regular season, they are guaranteed the top seed in the NFC playoffs and a valuable bye week that comes with it.

Ezoic But why sweat everyone until the last Sunday? If some scenarios play out this weekend, La Fidela might not. If the Detroit Lions, who have already won the NFC North title, lose to the Dallas Cowboys (10-5) on Saturday night, the 49ers would enter Sunday’s game needing a road win over the woeful Washington Commanders (4-12). and the loss of the Philadelphia Eagles to the lowly Arizona Cardinals (3-12) to claim the prize early and win the number 1 seed of the NFC in the postseason.

The 49ers, Eagles and Lions all have 11-4 records, but San Francisco is currently in first place due to shutouts by Philadelphia and Detroit. The 49ers defeated the Eagles 42-19 in Week 12, but do not play the Lions in the regular season. But San Francisco owns the better record in NFC games (9-1 vs. 7-3), so it would beat Detroit in that case.

San Francisco 49ers Get Positive News On 3 Star Players

While several key players did not practice and their status is unknown Sunday, some key names made the “limited participation” list, including star left tackle Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel. any trade that could have a field day against Washington’s defense, which is last in the league. Here’s the full list of limited participants from earlier this week:

 

LB Oren Burks (knee)
TE Ross Dwelley (ankle)
DT Javon Hargrave (hamstring)
WR Deebo Samuel (neck)
CB Ambry Thomas (knee, hand)
LT Trent Williams (groin)

 

First, Brock Purdy is healthy and ready to bounce back after leaving the Ravens game with a minor injury. He threw four interceptions against the Ravens and has a great chance to rebound against one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL on Sunday in D.C. Williams may be the most important because groin injuries can linger and often sideline players for long periods of time.

He is the best left tackle in football and is critical to Kyle Shanahan’s system, which uses him in multiple ways to block the run and pass to Purdy. Samuel finally coming clean is a breath of fresh air.

Anyone who follows the NFL understands the value of Deebo Samuel to the San Francisco 49ers. Despite playing in just 13 games this season, the dynamic WR has 53 catches for 834 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 15.5 yards per reception. He added 33 more passes for 179 yards and five touchdowns. Samuel’s presence on the field allows the San Francisco 49ers to run creative packages and constantly put defenses on their heels.

The health of these top three NFC playoff seeds cannot be overstated. Armstead’s absence shouldn’t be a factor against the Commander’s struggling offense, and he’ll likely be back in the playoffs when the games matter most.