Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have both said the 49ers looked like the better team when they won Dec. 24 at Levi’s Stadium.
The team they beat — the Jacksonville Jaguars — is now one win away from the Super Bowl.
The 49ers’ 44-33 win over the Jaguars was impressive at the time, and it’s since been enhanced by the Jaguars’ playoff run. After a 10-3 wild-card win over Buffalo, Jacksonville visited Pittsburgh and stunned the No. 2 seed with a 45-42 divisional-playoff victory. Up next: A trip to New England for the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The Jaguars’ upset of the Steelers came four weeks after they trailed 37-19 with nine minutes left in the best game the 49ers played during a five-game winning streak that capped their 6-10 season.
The season-ending streak, led by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, is sure to make the 49ers a trendy 2018 preseason playoff pick. And last month it inspired this question to Shanahan after the win over Jacksonville: Were the 49ers already “almost like” a playoff team?
“That’s hard to say,” Shanahan said. “I know we played one today and I know today it seemed like we were the better team. Today, I thought we played at a high level versus a very good team.”
A week later, Lynch pointed to that win over the AFC South champions, referencing Shanahan’s comment, when asked if the 49ers finished the season as one of the NFL’s better teams.
“You know, I remember when Kyle said to you guys, like against Jacksonville, it felt like we were the better team today,” Lynch said. “That’s what I watched. Does that mean we’re the better roster in terms of talent at each position? No, we’re not there yet. We have a lot of work to do. But, on that given day, we looked like we were the better football team.”
It’s worth noting the Jaguars’ circumstances on Dec. 24. Just before kickoff, thanks to a loss by the Titans, they had clinched the AFC South, although they were still playing for playoff positioning when they faced the 49ers. In addition, after typically leaving Florida two days before West Coast games, they left Florida the day before meeting the 49ers in hopes of reversing travel fortunes: Jacksonville fell to 2-12 on the West Coast and their setback to the 49ers was their eighth straight such loss.
Still, the 49ers’ win over Jacksonville wasn’t their only notable victory in their season-ending streak. Their triumph was sandwiched by victories over two other playoffs teams: They also beat the Titans and Rams, although Los Angeles rested most of its starters in the season finale.
Looking to the 2018 season, NFL history shows the 49ers would hardly be unique if they vaulted from last place in the NFC West to the postseason.
Three of the four teams playing in conference-title games Sunday — the Jaguars, Eagles and Vikings — missed the playoffs last year, and Jacksonville and Philadelphia finished last in their divisions. In 14 of the past 15 seasons, a team has won its division after finishing the previous season in last place.
In addition, eight of this season’s 12 playoff teams didn’t reach the postseason in 2016, and that was a continuation of another trend: Since 1990, at least four teams have reached the playoffs after missing out the year before.
Shanahan often noted late in the season that the 49ers’ strong finish wouldn’t necessarily carry over into 2018.
But after beating a team that’s playing in a conference championship game, that impressive performance — and NFL history — suggests the 49ers have reason to believe they could be one win away from the Super Bowl next season.
Foster honored: Inside linebacker Reuben Foster was the 49ers’ lone representative on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.
Foster, the No. 31 overall pick, was recognized after he ranked seventh among rookies in tackles (72) despite missing six games because of injuries. He ranked second on the team in tackles and was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month for November after he had 30 tackles in three games.
Foster was arrested in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Friday for second-degree possession of marijuana, which is a Class A misdemeanor in the state.
Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch