Thanks a lot, NFL.

The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night. They were without two key players, and head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed just how badly the NFL screwed San Francisco ahead of the pivotal matchup.

San Francisco was without both left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the game because of injuries. Shanahan confirmed after the game that both players would have had a much better chance of playing had the game been on Sunday rather than Saturday.

Pearsall was dealing with a nagging PCL injury in his knee that has bugged him all season, and Williams injured his hamstring. It probably would have been more of a long shot for Williams to play, but still, maybe another day would have helped both players out.

Instead, the schedule-makers screwed the Niners by giving them the Saturday game, which meant back-to-back short weeks after they played on Monday night in Week 16 ahead of a Sunday night game in Week 17.

For a team as battered by injuries as San Francisco has been all season, Shanahan and Co. did not catch a break from the NFL and lost, which costs them a bye week and home-field advantage in the playoffs.

San Francisco struggled the move the ball effectively all game against Seattle. The Seahawks have a great defense, and it just looked like nothing came easy for the 49ers all night long. Every yard was hard-earned, and it is doubtful that Williams and Pearsall being out there would have led to another 40-something point showing.

But it at least could have helped the team get something going, offensively.

Instead, the 49ers will now have to play on the road in the Wild Card round. In all likelihood, they will have to face the Philadelphia Eagles if the Los Angeles Rams, Eagles, and Chicago Bears all win their games on Sunday.

That will make for a very tough matchup that does not seem to set up well for the Niners. The Eagles have a strong defense, and weather could definitely be a factor, which historically hasn’t been great for quarterback Brock Purdy.

Maybe the NFL will finally cut the Niners a break and give them a Sunday playoff game rather than scheduling them for another Saturday game.

It is a shame the Niners had this disadvantage, and even though the outcome may have been the same even if San Francisco had Williams and Pearsall both available, one cannot help but wonder how it might have changed things.