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The 7-5 San Francisco 49ers are in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Currently in eighth place in the conference, the team needs to jump at least two spots over the remaining four weeks to earn a postseason berth. Niners Daily takes a look at the Week 14 games that impact the 49ers chances.
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NOTE: FiveThiryEight.com provides detailed interactive charts which break down the playoff swings of every NFL game. The data they compiled that pertains to the 49ers is used in our breakdown below. We highly suggest you give their complete NFL Week 14 playoff implications a look as well.*
*San Francisco 49ers at Oakland Raiders
Obviously, the 49ers need to win to improve their playoff chances, which currently sit at 21.8 percent. A win improves San Francisco's chances by 3.1 percent. A loss to the Silver and Black hurts by 9.1 percent. Just win, baby.**
- Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears *
**The Cowboys (8-4) sit one place ahead of the 49ers at seventh. If Chicago beats Dallas, the 49ers chances of making the playoffs improve 3.4 percent. The 49ers, owning a tie-break situation against the Cowboys, would leapfrog Dallas if the teams have the same record. Go Bears.
Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles*
*After the 49ers Thanksgiving loss, the Seahawks (8-4) currently own the tie-break situation. Percentage-wise, the outcome of this game doesn't greatly improve the 49ers playoff chances. A Seahawks loss adds only 0.6 percent. The hope is the Eagles (9-3) run away with the NFC East, burrying the Cowboys along the way and handing the Seahawks a loss in Week 14. The said, the 49ers own the tie breaker with the Eagles, should they falter.
A Seahawks loss and a 49ers win puts San Francisco in position to overtake the Seahawks when the two face off in Week 15. Controling your own destiny is worth more than 0.6 percent.
**Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions
**This game has the most direct impact to improve the 49ers chances of making the playoffs. The Lions (8-4) currently occupy the sixth, and final, NFC playoff spot. A Lions loss improves the 49ers chances of making the playoffs by a whole five percent. A Detroit win, and those chances drop 1.3 percent. It's a Bucs life, this Sunday.
**Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals
**Our final impact game is the Chiefs (7-5) at the Cardinals (9-3). A division title is still in reach for the 49ers, if the Cardinals continue to slide. The game impacts the 49ers chances by three percent, on both sides. A Chiefs win is plus three, a Cardinals win takes the same amount away.
This is a huge game for Kansas City. The Chiefs currently have a 51.7 percent chance to make the playoffs. A win bumps that number up by 16.6 percent, and a loss subtracts the same amount. Hopefully, Kansas City will rise to the occasion and help the 49ers while greatly helping themselves. Go Chiefs.
