Eric Edholm, Lead Draft Writer<\/p>\n
“What can you say? The team that many wrote off because of injuries now is one win away from clinching a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That’s a testament to what Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have built: a tough-minded team with explosive offensive potential. Even the defense, shorthanded as it might be, provided enough big plays to finish off a very good Chicago outfit on Sunday night. There might not be much margin for error, however. The 49ers really need to be this efficient offensively to run through a stout NFC field in the postseason, but it feels more possible now than it has all season. With Brock Purdy<\/a> and Christian McCaffrey<\/a> playing some of their best ball down the stretch — and especially in this strange, unexpected season — it’s absolutely within the realm of possibilities.”<\/p>\n Nick Wagoner, ESPN NFL Nation<\/p>\n “What we learned this season: Kyle Shanahan is long overdue to be NFL Coach of the Year.<\/p>\n Shanahan has nearly won the award twice — finishing second in 2019 and 2022 — but this is his best work yet. After a massive offseason roster reset, the Niners viewed 2025 as a chance to grow with young players in hopes of sneaking back into the playoffs. Instead, Shanahan has the Niners one win away from the NFC’s No. 1 seed despite injuries to multiple stars. Rehiring defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was a big offseason move for which Shanahan deserves credit, but he also has San Francisco’s offense playing like the NFL’s best down the stretch. He has proved once again that he’s as good as any coach at designing an offense while motivating the entire team.”<\/p>\n Pete Prisco, CBS Sports Senior Writer<\/p>\n