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 whi...

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