When Giants kicker Randy Bullock’s last-second field goal sailed through the uprights at MetLife Stadium on Monday night, it did more than send the Packers to a painful defeat.
It also made the 49ers the first team to claim a place in the 2023 NFL playoffs. It is the third straight season that the 49ers have advanced to the playoffs, but head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear earlier on Monday that the team is not just looking for a spot at the dance because they want to be the main attraction.
“I’ll have a reaction when it is the No. 1 spot, if it is, because that’s when the season ends,” Shanahan said, via the 49ersWebzone.com. “Right now, it doesn’t mean much. It just means where you’re at now. And I know we won’t be that if we don’t handle business this week. So that’s really all we’re worried about this week, and then we’ll move to who we play after that.”
The 49ers moved into that No. 1 spot with their win over the Seahawks and the Eagles’ loss to the Cowboys on Sunday. They’ll stay there by winning out and having the NFC playoffs come through Levi’s Stadium would likely make them a sizable favorite to make the second Super Bowl appearance of Shanahan’s tenure.
