Where 49ers stand in NFC playoff picture after bye, entering Week 10

The 49ers didn't play in Week 9 as they enjoyed their bye, but the NFL playoff picture continued to shift.

Following their three-game losing streak across Weeks 6 through 8 and after action around the league on Sunday, the 49ers are in third place in the NFC behind the No. 2-seeded Detroit Lions and first-place Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles improved to 8-1 on the season after beating the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, while the Lions, also on their bye week, still have a 6-2 record and remain in second place.

Even though San Francisco didn't have a game this week, the team went from second to first place in the NFC West after the Seattle Seahawks lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the morning slate. While the 49ers and Seahawks now have the same record at 5-3, the 49ers hold the divisional tiebreaker.

The Seahawks, however, own the tiebreaker over the Cowboys for the No. 5 playoff seed because they have a better conference record. The teams are tied on the first three tiebreakers: head-to-head, divisional record and record against common opponents.

If the regular season ended today, the No. 3 seed 49ers would host the No. 6 seed Cowboys at Levi's Stadium in the first round of the postseason.

Now that all the NFC teams are done for Week 9, here's how the playoff picture stands through Sunday's games:

NFC standings

1. Philadelphia Eagles -- 8-1

2. Detroit Lions -- 6-2

3. San Francisco 49ers -- 5-3

4. New Orleans Saints -- 5-4

5. Seattle Seahawks -- 5-3

6. Dallas Cowboys -- 5-3

7. Minnesota Vikings -- 5-4

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8. Washington Commanders -- 4-5

9. Atlanta Falcons -- 4-5

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- 3-5

11. Green Bay Packers -- 3-5

12. Los Angeles Rams -- 3-6

13. New York Giants -- 2-7

14. Chicago Bears -- 2-7

15. Carolina Panthers -- 1-7

16. Arizona Cardinals -- 1-8

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