The 49ers have to handle their own business down the stretch, but we’ve reached the portion of the calendar where scoreboard watching is important since a win or loss by another team could dramatically swing the 49ers’ outlook on the season.
San Francisco won’t have it easy the rest of the way as they start rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy at quarterback. Their final five games begin Sunday with a showdown against the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Every win is paramount for the 49ers at this point, but they could get some help to take some of the pressure off down the stretch.
Here’s a look at the Week 14 games that could have an impact on the 49ers’ playoff push and how much each one matters on a 10-point scale (10 being the most crucial). We’ve also given a prediction for each contest: