There are two big keys for NFL teams going into the playoffs: health and playing well. San Francisco has both. Their 10-game winning streak is evidence of how well they’re playing, and their virtually empty injury report is evidence of how much their health has turned around since the middle of the year.
By Week 6 when the 49ers fell to the Falcons in Atlanta it looked like injuries might derail their season. They’d lost running back Elijah Mitchell and quarterback Trey Lance. Defensive end Nick Bosa was hurt. So were cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Emmanuel Moseley, who tore his ACL in Week 5.
Since that point San Francisco has gotten healthy and their injury report for their wild card game against the Seahawks was relatively bare.
The 49ers ruled out QB Jimmy Garoppolo with a foot injury, and CB Ambry Thomas with an ankle ailment. Both absences were expected after they missed the entire week of practice.
On Tuesday and Wednesday San Francisco had a slew of players practicing in a limited fashion. DL Arik Armstead (foot, ankle), OL Aaron Banks (ankle, knee), LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (neck), LB Dre Greenlaw (back), DT Javon Kinlaw (knee) and RB Christian McCaffrey (knee) were all limited participants for the first two sessions of the week.
Thursday, the final practice before Saturday’s showdown with Seattle, saw that entire group move to a full participation, setting them up to play in the playoff opener.
Anything can happen once the game starts, but it’s hard to ask for a better situation going into the contest than the one the 49ers have.
