SANTA CLARA — The 49ers showed poise, pragmatism, and residency in their 36-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals Sunday.
Those are characteristics that have served them well all season — the characteristics of a playoff team in the NFL.
And in overcoming their own failures to win Sunday, they put themselves a win or two away from effectively clinching a playoff berth — the team’s first since 2013.
But with the toughest stretch of the season looming — three straight games against division leaders (Green Bay, Baltimore, New Orleans) — fighting through self-made adversity isn’t much more than character-building.