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The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers made emphatic statements in Week 17 and locked up their conference's respective No. 1 seeds in the process. The Ravens barely broke a sweat in a 56-19 rout of Miami, while the 49ers waxed Washington 27-10.   

As recipients of the top seed, both teams will receive first-round playoff byes. Since the playoff expansion in 2021, only the No. 1 seeds in each conference are given a first-round bye. 

The 49ers' win over Washington was a microcosm of their season so far. They received solid play from quarterback Brock Purdy, continued contributions from MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey and stellar play from their defense. The 49ers also received a breakout performance from Elijah Mitchell, who led the team with 80 yards and a score on 17 carries. 

Like the 49ers, the Ravens flexed their muscles against the Dolphins while emphatically staking their claim as the AFC's top team. In a matchup of two teams that were vying for the top seed, Baltimore won in a knockout behind yet another monster performance from Lamar Jackson. In fact, Jackson may have locked up another MVP on Sunday after riddling the Dolphins defense to the tune of 321 yards and five touchdowns. 

How important is the No. 1 seed? Since 1975 (the advent of a seeding system), 14 Super Bowls have featured two No. 1 seeds. The most recent occurrence was in 2017, when the Eagles edged the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

The No. 1 seed has been kind to the 49ers from a historical standpoint. Each of San Francisco's five Super Bowl titles came as the NFC's No. 1 seed. In three of those wins, the 49ers defeated the AFC's top seed in the big game. 

Baltimore hasn't been as fortunate, however. In 2019, the last time the Ravens held the top seed, they were upset by Derrick Henry and the Titans in the divisional round. But things may be different for the Ravens this time around. By getting the bye now, the Ravens can rest several of their starters (Jackson included) for their Week 18 showdown against the Steelers. The 49ers will also likely rest several notable players for their regular-season finale against the Rams.