Not much change in the NFC West this week. The key players, the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks, all won. The Cardinals lost again. There’s not much left on the schedule for the Rams. So, unless they go into a massive skid, they probably can win the West. It’s not certain, but there’s not much hope, especially with that team we saw on Sunday night.
The 49ers took care of business against a Carolina Panthers team whose only win against a team above .500 was the Green Bay Packers, and it showed. If Brock Purdy wasn’t gifting the Panthers those three interceptions, it would be a very different game.
As for the 49ers, that type of performance against the Rams or Philadelphia Eagles will get them blown out. While a win is a win, three interceptions are not anything you want on the card when there’s little room for error with this roster.
Regardless, the 49ers are keeping pace for a playoff spot, and that win is huge for their probability of making the playoffs. Simply getting a Wild Card berth after all the injuries is a positive, and it’s great for the younger players to get some experience.
Three out of four teams in the NFC West may be going to the playoffs, too.
Los Angeles Rams (9-2)
Yes, I will give it to the Rams that they are the team to beat in the NFC, even if they were gifted with a quarterback injury in their 34-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, someone who many thought might be in the MVP conversation, left the game at halftime. The thing is, the game was 31-7 at halftime, so the damage was already done.
The Buccaneers couldn’t get anything going. And didn’t get their measly seven points until five minutes left in the half. Final score: 34-7 and a statement. Give it to the Rams; they played well, and the Buccaneers, until Sunday, were a good team. Matthew Stafford continued to put a strong season together, throwing three touchdowns, no interceptions, and taking a single sack.
Meanwhile, Mayfield had notched two interceptions until his untimely injury benching for Teddy Bridgewater.
The Rams have some divisional games and the Detroit Lions left on their schedule. While I don’t think they are unbeatable, they certainly are the team to beat. A couple of games dropped IS possible, but only a couple; meanwhile, the 49ers would need to run the table to win the NFC West crown.
Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
I told you the Tennessee Titans would not be the ones to hand us a loss. If you look at the final score, you may think they had a chance and let us down. The truth is, this was going bad from the start, and garbage time + prevent defense can do some annoying things at the end of a game.
By the end of the third quarter, it was 30-10, and the Titans got a measly field goal to get it to 30-13. Then things got interesting: the Titans managed to put it within six. Just one problem: the game had 45 seconds left to go. Seahawks get the onside. Was there ever a doubt?
The big star of the show was Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who caught eight passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Smith-Njigba was a beast on the field and most likely makes the 1-2 man say “DK who?”. I’m referring to DK Metcalf, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 offseason.
The win keeps the Seahawks tied with the 49ers. Right now, the Seahawks are winning the tiebreaker due to one less loss, but the 49ers haven’t played a bye yet. After that, the Seahawks either need a second win or the 49ers would take the second-place spot.
Arizona Cardinals (3-8)
And then, there’s the Cardinals. They are still in the playoff hunt and not officially eliminated, but that 27-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars has them circling the drain.
Credit to the Cardinals for trading leads with the Jaguars a few times throughout the game. And they even forced overtime with the Jaguars. The Jaguars managed a field goal, and the Cardinals didn’t muster much of anything, falling 27-24.
Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett went 33-49, 317 yards passing, one touchdown, no interceptions, and six sacks on the day. Again, the Cardinals’ offense runs much more efficiently with a traditional quarterback like Brissett at the helm, but that doesn’t mean he’s the answer for the team. It didn’t help that he was missing Marvin Harrison Jr., who was coming into his own until his unfortunate injury.
The Cardinals have some pieces, but it’s curious whether they will retain Jonathan Gannon as their head coach and what changes they will make at quarterback in the offseason.
Onto Week 13
The 49ers go to face the Cleveland Browns. In Cleveland. The last time the 49ers won in Cleveland, Ohio? 1984. I’m not joking, I was a year old when the 49ers last won in Cleveland. After this, the 49ers get a much-needed bye week. Going into the bye 9-4 would be nice, and you’d hope it’d quiet some of the Kyle Shanahan haters, but you know that’s never happening.
The same Carolina Panthers the 49ers beat up on are still trying to find another team above .500 to beat, and they host the Rams. It would make all of us happy if they could do us a solid and hand the Rams a loss. I wouldn’t bet on it, though.
The Seahawks will be hosting the Minnesota Vikings. Sam Darnold may have a bit of a fire lit in this game. The Vikings moved on from him and turned the keys to J.J. McCarthy, who has been underwhelming this year—and that’s being polite. That defense and a quarterback who has something to prove? That one won’t be fun.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can get right since they host the Cardinals. They have some questions about the Mayfield injury, but this can give them a week before they enter a divisional slate of games. The Cardinals may just want to be put out of their misery.
1st: Los Angeles Rams; Next: at Carolina Panthers
2nd: Seattle Seahawks; Next: vs Minnesota Vikings
3rd: San Francisco 49ers; Next: at Cleveland Browns
4th: Arizona Cardinals; Next: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
About the Author: Insidethe49
