The benefit of the top seed for the San Francisco 49ers, other than staying at home, is they get to have the week off for the first round of the NFL playoffs and maybe see an upset or two happen.
Indeed, this was exactly what happened.
The No. 6 seed in the Minnesota Vikings did a “San Francisco” when they went to New Orleans and upset the No. 3 seed Saints 26-20 under the dome. In doing so, it delayed or prevented what was the probable rubber match against the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.