With the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, the San Francisco 49ers have officially clinched the top spot in the NFC. But who they could face in the postseason remains a question.

The 49ers clinch of the NFC means they will be on a Bye the first week of the 2023 playoffs. And with several starters banged up, the three-week gap between meaningful games is a welcome sight for SF.

San Francisco has also indicated that Week 18 won’t be devoid of starters, with many of them expected to play in some capacity against the Los Angeles Rams. That’s for two reasons: Keeping fresh with such a gap in between contests and scouting ahead for a potential matchup down the line.

The Rams, unlike other NFC contenders, could see the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. LA is currently the No. 6 in the conference, and a win on a wild-card weekend would likely put them face-to-face with their rivals.

But other clashes could occur as well; Here is how the first game of the 49ers 2023 playoffs could shake out.

In single-elimination playoffs, anything can happen, right? Though nothing is off limits in the NFC, it would still be shocking.

With an 8-8 record, the Packers are currently in last place for the 2023 playoffs. Now, Green Bay needs to defeat the Chicago Bears in Week 18 in order to have a 60% chance of making the playoffs. It’s highly likely that the 49ers will visit them a week later if they defeat the Bears and go on to win on wild card weekend.

The Seahawks and Saints are still in action, though, so teams can still play spoiler.

The Rams, the south-coast rivals of the 49ers, defeated the New York Giants in Week 17 to secure the No. 6 seed. Even though their matchup with the Red & Gold in Week 18 might be pointless, is it possible that they will cross paths in Round 2?

Given how hot the Rams have been for the past month, it’s quite likely. On wild-card weekend, LA will play the Detroit Lions (No. 3) or the Dallas Cowboys (No. 2). However, in recent weeks, both sides have shown inconsistent play.

They might be travelling to Santa Clara for another NFC West matchup if they defeat the team with the better seed on the road in Round 1.