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49ers Secure Playoff Berth, Eye Top Seed After Dominant Win Over Colts
INDIANAPOLIS – The San Francisco 49ers are officially headed to the NFC playoffs! Their spot was cemented on Sunday night after the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Detroit Lions, taking some of the pressure off the Niners ahead of their Monday night showdown against the Indianapolis Colts.
But don’t think for a second the 49ers were content with just a playoff ticket. They steamrolled the Colts with their sights set on a much bigger prize: the NFC’s top seed. Now sitting at an impressive 11-4, and with a little help from the Seattle Seahawks’ Thursday night win over the Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers have a clear path to home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
The equation is simple: win their next two home games against the Chicago Bears and the Seahawks, and the NFC West division title, along with that coveted top seed, is theirs. And there’s an extra layer of motivation: Super Bowl LX is set to be played at Levi’s Stadium. If the Niners secure the top spot, they won’t have to board a single plane for the rest of the season.
While the Bears and Seahawks will undoubtedly present tougher challenges than Indianapolis, the 49ers’ offense is hitting its stride. They haven’t punted in over 133 minutes of game time, and if they can stay healthy and maintain this momentum, they’ll be in an ideal position heading into the playoffs.
Here’s a closer look at both teams after Monday night’s action:
San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
Turning Point: What initially looked like a high-scoring affair quickly tilted in the Niners’ favor. With 7:14 left in the first quarter, Colts returner Ameer Abdullah fumbled a kickoff after a tackle by Niners safety Ji’Ayir Brown. Tight end Jake Tonges recovered the loose ball at the Colts’ 26-yard line, leading to a quick touchdown five plays later, giving San Francisco a 14-7 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
QB Performance: “Monday Night Football” had been a bit of a struggle for quarterback Brock Purdy, who entered the game with five touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his previous five appearances. However, Purdy completely flipped the script against a depleted Colts secondary, delivering his first career five-touchdown game.
He’s the first Niners quarterback to throw for five scores on MNF and the first since Steve Young in Super Bowl XXIX to throw for five or more touchdowns in a regular-season or playoff game. Purdy finished the night 25-of-34 for 295 yards with just one interception.
Most Surprising Performance: The 49ers’ run game has often struggled for consistency this season, and Monday night didn’t seem like the most opportune time for a breakout, especially against a Colts defense tied for second in the league in yards per carry allowed (3.8). Yet, San Francisco’s offensive line rose to the occasion, paving the way for Christian McCaffrey to have his second-best rushing performance of the season.
The Niners collectively rushed for 145 yards on 31 carries. McCaffrey himself amassed 117 yards on 21 carries, pushing him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the fifth time in his career.
Next Game: vs. Chicago Bears (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Indianapolis Colts (8-7)
The Indianapolis Colts’ once-promising season has hit a major snag. Monday night’s loss has pushed them to the brink of playoff elimination, with ESPN Analytics now pegging their playoff odds at a mere 2%.
The team brought in veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, 44, to steady the offense after Daniel Jones’ season-ending Achilles injury. While Rivers held up his end of the bargain, the defense experienced its most dismal outing of the season, leaving the Colts to contemplate another challenging offseason.
Biggest Hole in the Game Plan: The Colts’ defensive strategy of relying on a four-man pass rush while often leaving inexperienced and outmatched cornerbacks in man coverage against the 49ers’ receivers proved disastrous. This allowed Purdy to dissect the secondary at will, throwing five touchdown passes. The combination of limited pressure and inconsistent coverage enabled the 49ers to effortlessly move the ball downfield.
QB Performance: After playing it safe in his first game in five years last week, Rivers significantly opened up the passing game on Monday night, pushing the ball further downfield. He completed 23 of 35 passes for 277 yards, tossing two touchdowns and one interception.
Trend to Watch: The Colts have developed a concerning pattern of late-season collapses in recent years, and this season’s appears to be one of the worst. After starting 2025 at 8-2 and being considered title contenders, Indianapolis has now dropped five consecutive games and is likely to miss the playoffs once again.
This continues a frustrating trend from 2021, 2023, and 2024, where the Colts were in playoff contention in late December but ultimately failed to secure a spot. While injuries have played a significant role this year, the persistent late-season shortcomings are undoubtedly wearing on the team and its fanbase.
Next Game: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)