The San Francisco 49ers, despite sliding toward the abyss of NFL mediocrity, still have a path to the postseason when they head into a Week 13 showdown against the Buffalo Bills.
But thanks to the rest of the NFC West's battle around the .500 mark, there's a clear path for the 49ers to win the division and punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Here are the Week 13 games that will impact the 49ers' playoff chances and which team the 49ers need to win:
Cardinals (6-5) vs. Vikings (9-2)
49ers need: A Vikings win. Every NFC West loss is gold for the 49ers.
Spread: Vikings (-3.5)
Seahawks (6-5) vs. Jets (3-8)
49ers need: A Jets win. See above.
Spread: Seahawks (-2)
Titans (3-8) and Commanders (7-5)
49ers need: A loss for the Commanders, although the 49ers can erase Washington's involvement with a string of wins while the other clubs in the division start to rack up a few losses. Washington is the No. 7 seed heading into Week 13.
Spread: Commanders (-5.5)
Buccaneers (5-6) at Panthers (3-8)
49ers need: The 49ers have a head-to-head tiebreaker against Tampa Bay, but another 5-6 loss for the team helps, so a Panthers win is ideal for San Francisco.
Spread: Buccaneers (-6)
Rams (5-6) at Saints (4-7)
49ers need: Another NFC West game means another game where the 49ers have to lose to their NFC West opponent. A Rams win wouldn't be bad as it would push New Orleans further out of the conversation, but losing the NFC West is preferred.
Spread: Rams (-2.5)
