Getty Images

The San Francisco 49ers are playoff bound after an impressive 13-4 record in the regular season that earned them the NFC West divisional title and the conference's No. 2 seed.

The Niners will host the seventh-seeded Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET in a divisional showdown on Super Wild Card Weekend. These teams have played each other twice already this year, with San Francisco winning both matchups.

If you still do not have a team to root for in the playoffs, here are some reasons why the 49ers are the perfect team to cheer for this year.

1. The rise of Mr. Irrelevant

Quarterback Brock Purdy, aka "Mr. Irrelevant" because he was the last player picked in the 2022 NFL Draft, has taken over the 49ers offense for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo. He will become the lowest-drafted player to ever start a playoff game when Saturday rolls around.

The chances of Purdy even seeing playing time this year were slim, with Trey Lance and Garoppolo ahead of him. Under extreme pressure, Purdy has been poised and shown that he can be a leader in this league.

Purdy started the team's final five regular-season games and won all five. No easy feat. His first start was against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Purdy became the first quarterback to ever beat TB12 in his first start. Seven other quarterbacks before him attempted the feat and failed.

This season, Purdy has a 67.1 completion percentage, 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns to just four interceptions, along with a rushing touchdown. His 107.3 passer rating leads all quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks this season, and he leads the league with a 112.0 passer rating over the final six weeks of the regular season. Purdy was also named Offensive Rookie of the Month by the NFL for both December and January. 

He's erased the title of "irrelevant" and has quickly become one of the most relevant quarterbacks in the league, and it is hard not to root for a story like his.

2. Surviving and overcoming QB injuries, adversity

The 49ers had three quarterbacks start this season. Typically when there is such inconsistency at quarterback, the team struggles and the chaos is apparent (see: New York Jets). When three very different quarterbacks rotate as starters, the best-case scenario is usually to get through the season without completely embarrassing yourself and wait until the offseason to cement something more permanent.

The 49ers are the exception here and have managed to string together win after win to earn a top spot in the playoffs. In fact, they ended the season winning 10 straight games. The team started with Lance, who beat out Garoppolo for the job. Many, including head coach Kyle Shanahan, did not think Jimmy G would even be with them when the season began, expecting a trade in the offseason.

Garoppolo not only stayed with the team, but when Lance went down with a season-ending ankle injury, he took over as QB1. Things were going fairly well for the offense until Garoppolo's broken foot, causing a rookie to take over. Purdy started five regular-season games and helped lead the team to the playoffs. 

3. A great defense that's fun to watch

"Defense wins championships." If you've heard it once, you've heard it 1,000 times. Their defense is either No. 1 or close to the top in almost every category and has shown consistent play all year. They lead the NFL with the least amount of points allowed per game with 16.3. 

They shut down offenses, which has greatly helped their own offense through three quarterback changes. They are one of the best defenses in the NFL, and as a result, are a blast to watch. 

Defensive end Nick Bosa is a star of the defense and was voted into the All-Pro team by the NFL Players Association, naming him one of the best players in the league and the top player at his position. This season, Bosa has 51 combined tackles and 18.5 sacks, a career best.

The last two times the 49ers faced the Seahawks their defense showed up, giving Geno Smith and Co. a hard time. The first time the teams met the Niners won 27-7 and the second time San Fran won 21-13. Rookies tend to struggle in the playoffs, but even if Purdy gets a little blinded by the bright lights of his first postseason game, the strong defense gives them a good chance of winning.