Victory Monday is always easier when the San Francisco 49ers don’t just win, aren’t just in contention for something, but are in first place in the NFC West.
The 16-15 win over the Cardinals capped what was a boring game. The play on the field was sloppy, and the 49ers still have a lot of work to do if they want to make any noise in January. That said, they are 3-0, one game ahead in the NFC West, and words cannot begin to describe what wins like the first three of 2025 will do for the younger players and the team morale as a whole. Blowouts are fun, but these kinds of games build confidence.
It’s also important to note the 49ers are 3-0 and they. Aren’t. Healthy! To critique them now means you have to acknowledge that this team is a massive work in progress. Once they get those pieces back on offense and defense, we might see a different team.
So the 49ers are 3-0, with two division wins. So a quarter of the divisional games are done, and the 49ers are halfway to their win total of 2024. Unless they lose the rest of the schedule, the 49ers’ 2025 season isn’t the nightmare it was in 2024.
Arizona Cardinals (2-1)
We’ve seen this movie before. If you recall 2024, the Cardinals were the team that revealed something was seriously off with the 2024 49ers. And with the way their 16-15 loss against the 49ers was playing out Sunday, you felt like you knew the ending. This sequel had a few differences:
The obvious one is that the 49ers won the game. But there also wasn’t a defense not knowing if they should chase Kyler Murray or let him lollipop the ball in the air.
It is worth mentioning that the 49ers benefited from numerous Cardinals miscues. A few crucial drops would have changed the outcome of the game. The 49ers also had some key drops, but they won, so it’s just a matter of who made the fewest mistakes.
This is important to keep in mind because when the teams meet again, the 49ers might not be so lucky. The Cardinals might drill that field goal early on. They might complete those deep throws on busted coverages rather than drop it. They might not have their star running back carted off the field in a brutal injury.
Kyler Murray had a very Kyler Murray day, completing 22 of 35 attempts for 159 yards. The Cardinals had 259 yards of total offense, including a touchdown that resulted from a 49ers pass interference call. That makes it three straight games the Cardinals have failed to get over 300 yards of offense. Before we heap praise on the 49ers defense (which did have themselves a day), it’s important to note the context of the Cardinals offense—because it was pretty bad.
In any case, the Cardinals are now 2-1 with their loss to the 49ers. A game that you could argue the Cardinals should have won.
Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
Ok, let’s Ram it.
The Rams were in control for most of their 33-26 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles had no offense to speak of in the first half, managing just a single touchdown in the first quarter and little else. Meanwhile, the Rams were a bit better, making it 19-7. The Eagles took the lead in the 4th quarter with just a minute to go, but a failed two-point conversion meant any Rams field goal would have tied the game. This leaves it 27-26, Eagles.
The Rams then moved down the field with ease in the two-minute drill, and it seemed like they were going to pull off the upset. All that stood between them and 3-0 was a 44-yard field goal. Last we checked, they didn’t have the Jake Moody anxiety 49ers fans have. This is something they could make, I suppose.
Then, this happened:
Of course, that fills up social media with all the talk of the Eagles being the team of destiny after three weeks. Meanwhile, the Rams out-Jake Moody-ed the 49ers with that special teams blunder and go to 2-1.
Besides that one glaring play, the Rams did look like the team to beat for a hot minute. Like we said, they were in control of the game—just a blocked field goal.
Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
I don’t think anyone expected the New Orleans Saints to upset the Seahawks in Seattle. That said, I also don’t think anyone expected the Seahawks to be up 38-6 at halftime. In case you’re wondering, that’s usually a good argument for mercy. The second half? Well, replace touchdowns with field goals and no points for Seattle in the fourth quarter.
44-13 Seahawks. That can be considered mercy, I suppose.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold went 14 for 18 ( 77 percent ), 218 yards passing, and two touchdowns. The other two touchdowns on offense came from running back Kenneth Walker. Cap things off with a 95-yard punt return to the house, and you see how things got out of hand rather quickly.
I know some will say “The 49ers did x against the Saints” and use the Seahawks’ margin of victory as a comparison. That’s not a good thing to compare. Matchups matter. Yes, the 49ers beat New Orleans in New Orleans, but they also had a good deal of the second-stringers out there.
Back to the Seahawks. The win lets them keep pace because a loss today would have been tough. A loss against the Saints would not only have put them another game back of the 49ers, but also would have given the 49ers some valuable tiebreakers.
Onto Week 3
Another NFC West matchup happens this Thursday on Thursday Night Football. The Cardinals will be traveling to Lumen Field to take on the Seahawks. Forget the Saints game. We are about to get some answers about what the 2025 Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals are like in this game. Yes, it’s a Thursday game, but neither team is going to want to be 0-2 in the division.
The Rams will be hosting the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are 3-0 for the first time since Peyton Manning was quarterback (that’s 2009 if you’re curious). It’s another game that could give us some answers on both the Colts and the Rams after the latter botched the Philadelphia game.
The 49ers will be hosting the 2-1 Jacksonville Jaguars. Now that Trent Baalke isn’t the general manager, revenge games are no longer a thing. That game is no gimmie, however. The Jaguars managed to hold onto a lead against the Houston Texans most of the game and pull away in the fourth quarter. Speaking of the Texans, head coach (and former 49ers defensive coordinator) DeMeco Ryans isn’t off to a good start with the team being 0-3. Provided the 49ers don’t have another plague of injuries, they should be able to win the Jaguars game, but it might be in a similar fashion to the other three wins we’ve seen.
1st: San Francisco 49ers; Next: vs Jacksonville Jaguars
2nd (tie): Los Angeles Rams; Next: vs Indianapolis Colts
2nd (tie): Arizona Cardinals; Next: at Seattle Seahawks (Thursday Night Football)
2nd (tie): Seattle Seahawks; Next: vs Arizona Cardinals (Thursday Night Football)
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