Mounting Defensive Injuries Biggest Obstacle to Deep Playoff Run for 49ers

Over the past few years, the San Francisco 49ers have annually been a leading contender to advance to the Super Bowl in the NFC—a feat the team accomplished in 2012.

That period of prominence was propelled primarily by a defense that ranked among the league's best, and the engine that drove that defense was the best cadre of linebackers in the National Football League.

Now, however, the 49ers (5-4) are clinging to their playoff hopes by a thread. And with the injuries that have wracked the linebacker spot in the Bay Area in 2014 continuing to take a toll, that thread is becoming more frayed by the day.

The l...

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