SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While the bruised and battered San Francisco 49ers haven't won in aesthetically pleasing fashion often this season, they still have found ways to win.

It happened again Monday night, as the Niners overcame a litany of first-half mistakes to knock off the Carolina Panthers 20-9 in a game that figures to be pivotal in the NFC playoff chase.

With the win, the 49ers improve to 8-4, including 7-2 against NFC opponents. Carolina fell to 6-6 on the season and 4-3 in NFC games.

According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Niners bolstered their playoff hopes from 86% to 91.3% and put the Panthers' chances in peril, as they dropped from 22.7% to 18%.

Even on a night when quarterback Brock Purdy provided plenty of opportunities for the Panthers to establish a lead

See Full Page