5 Keys for a Successful Playoff Chase for the San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers come off the bye in the thick of the NFC playoff race but will need to make some improvements in order to ensure they seal a fourth straight postseason berth.At 4-3 the Niners have performed well for most of the campaign. However, a number of failings in key areas have kept Jim Harbaugh's club two games behind the division rival Arizona Cardinals, who at 6-1 sit as the class of the conference.Yet with its roster now getting healthy and the returns of star linebackers Aldon Smith and NaVorro Bowman on the horizon, San Francisco has plenty of reason for optimism heading into the final nine regular-season games, the first of which comes against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.The second half of the schedule still presents many significant tests, though, with two games versus the defending Super Bowl champions,Seattle Seahawks, a road game against theNew Orleans Saintsandhome meetings with the Cardinalsand San Diego Chargers.San Francisco is a team that has regularly excelled in big games, though, and Harbaugh will hope that his squad can show a similar quality down the stretch and keep hopes of a sixth franchise Super Bowl crown intact.Even with Smith and Bowman's prospective returns, making the playoffs promises to be no easy task despite the huge talent possessed by the Niners.Here I look at five things that have to happen for San Francisco to achieve that feat.Begin Slideshow
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