THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Perception of success depends on the fanbase

Watching the NFL playoffs this season is a lot less stressful for this guy. 

My 49ers, plagued by injuries, underperformance and questionable coaching, checked out a few weeks before the end of the season and were billed for a 6-11 record. 

One San Francisco player said he was “embarrassed” for his team’s defense. 

Look, I get it, there’s not going to be a lot of sympathy for the 49ers around here. 

Meanwhile, up the road, another “e” word was used to describe a team that didn’t make the playoffs. 

The Seahawks finished 10-7, missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, but the buzzword coming out of Seattle is folks are “encouraged” by what happened under their first-year coach. 

Well, OK ... 

SOME SAY the 49ers’ window is closing, after the wear and tear of four NFC title games and two Super Bowl appearances in the last six seasons. 

We’ll see. 

S.F. still has its stars, but also has holes. 

An average offensive line. 

An offense that can’t stretch the field, so defenses load up near the line of scrimmage and dare the 49ers to beat them deep. 

A pass rush that doesn’t get to the passer much, backed by a prevent defense that can’t cover — and oftentimes can’t tackle. 

MEANWHILE, SINCE the Seahawks’ bid to repeat as Super Bowl champs was intercepted, their budding dynasty — a special defense and a pretty good offense — proved to be anything but. 

Just three playoff wins (and six losses) since. Haven’t even reached the NFC title game since. 

In recent years, they replaced their formerly great quarterback with a cute reclamation project — not the only QB who has achieved success after being tainted by having to play for the Jets. 

He can spin it — but can also fumble it, and throw it to the other team. This despite having one of the best receiving trios in the game the past couple of years. 

Still, there’s some talented youth in Seattle — some energy and promise the 49ers wish they had from their young players. 

Whether that’s enough to get the Seahawks back to the level they were at a decade ago (Seattle is 35-33 over the past four seasons; Pete Carroll was 33-31 in four seasons in his first stint as NFL coach) remains to be seen. 

If Seahawk fans are OK with their team being slightly above average ... well, that stuff just isn’t good enough down the coast. 

WE’LL TAKE the heat for what happened this season — it comes with being in the Super Bowl hunt most years — but it seems like some others should be under the gun as well. 

When has Lamar Jackson gotten to a Super Bowl? 

Never. 

When has Josh Allen gotten to a Super Bowl?  

Never. 

Both had a chance to beat the Chiefs at home in the playoffs last year, and couldn’t do it. 

The Cincinnati Bengals seem to have gotten a pass despite missing the playoffs this year, even with a quarterback having a near-MVP season and two terrific wide receivers. 

Meanwhile, the Lions are this year’s sexy pick to win it all. That would be refreshing — and a bit startling for us old-timers, who are used to seeing the Lions be lousy for decades. 

Hopefully someone will step up and challenge the Chiefs, so they don’t win it all again, by default. 

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports.