The 49ers' dim playoff hopes were all but extinguished Sunday.
A 23-15 loss to the NFC East-leading Washington Football Team dropped the 49ers' record to 5-8, two games back of the Arizona Cardinals (7-6), the No. 7 seed in the conference. The 49ers will play against the Cardinals in Week 16, but they'll need a lot of help to remain in the playoff picture by then.
At best, the 11th-seeded 49ers can end the season with an 8-8 record. Every team between them and the Cardinals, save for the 10th-seeded Detroit Lions, could still finish the season with (at least) a 9-7 record. The Chicago Bears (6-7; No. 9 seed) and Minnesota Vikings (6-7; No. 8) play each other next week, while the Cardinals host the Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1). The 49ers need a win against the Dallas Cowboys (4-9) in order to stay alive in the playoff hunt for another week, and significant help to be anything but a long shot.
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Here's the full NFC playoff picture following the 49ers' loss.
- Green Bay Packers (10-3)
- New Orleans Saints (10-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-4)
- Washington Football Team (5-7)
- Seattle Seahawks (9-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5)
- Arizona Cardinals (7-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-7)
- Chicago Bears (6-7)
- Detroit Lions (5-8)
- 49ers (5-8)