Overview
- Both teams enter Sunday night at 11-4, with San Francisco able to set up a No. 1 seed clinch by beating Chicago and then Seattle in Week 18 due to the tiebreaker edge.
- Chicago can secure the NFC North with a win over the 49ers and could lock the division earlier if Baltimore defeats Green Bay on Saturday.
- Green Bay clinched a playoff berth after Detroit’s Christmas Day loss but still has an outside shot at the division if it wins out and Chicago loses out.
- Key injuries cloud the weekend: 49ers tight end George Kittle did not practice this week with an ankle issue, Packers quarterbacks Jordan Love and Malik Willis are questionable, and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is doubtful with a back injury, positioning Tyler Huntley to start if Jackson sits.
- Week 17 results beyond Santa Clara will ripple through the seeding picture, with Saturday’s Ravens-Packers game and Seattle’s remaining slate influencing who ultimately lands the NFC’s top seed.