NFC West Week 13 Check in: 49ers Control Their Own Destiny
If it wasn’t confirmed before, it definitely is confirmed now that the NFC west is the best division in football. Most of these teams have shown that they can hang with the best of them, except for one. Can you guess which one?
We are now down to the final quarter of the season and it is clear that the San Francisco 49ers control their own destiny. The NFC west is there’s to lose with the Seattle Seahawks right on their trail. Let’s check in with these two teams and the rest of the division heading into week 13.
San Francisco 49ers (10-1)
Based strictly off of winning percentage, the 49ers next three-game stretch was the highest any team has faced this late in a season. The 49ers are already off to a tremendous start after they pounded the Green Bay Packers into submission on Sunday night. Given the performance they put on display in front of the entire nation, this stretch of games might not be as difficult as originally thought.
The 49ers just have a way of making great teams look pedestrian. It’s why so many critics claim that “they haven’t played anyone”. Such an absurd take should not be taken seriously. The 49ers just handout statement win after statement win. At the rate they are going, the NFC west will be theirs. However, a little help would be nice as they only have a one game lead over the Seahawks.
The 49ers will need their best performance when they take on the Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday. Lamar Jackson is making a case to be the MVP of the league. There is no hotter team than the Ravens right now as they ride a seven game winning streak. The 49ers will have their work cut out in week 13.
Seattle Seahawks (9-2)
After handing the 49ers their first loss of the season in week 10, the Seahawks spent week 11 on a bye. It was a much needed rest for them so they could recharge their batteries for a serious run at the NFC west crown. The Seahawks jumped back into the fray this past weekend to face the Eagles in Philadelphia.
This was the original game slated for Sunday night football until 49ers/Packers flexed them out and rightfully so. Seattle’s matchup with the Eagles was not exciting, but the “12th man” could care less since the Seahawks came out with the 17-9 win. There doesn’t seem much that can slow down the Seahawks, which is what the 49ers need to avoid a high stakes game in week 17.
They just might be in luck as week 13 has the Seahawks hosting the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night football. The Vikings are among the NFC’s best teams. It’ll be a tough outing for the Seahawks against them and actually a very intriguing matchup.
Los Angeles Rams (6-5)
As stated in last weeks NFC west check in piece, the Rams race for the division is over. They only shot they have is at a wild card spot and even that looks bleak. The Ravens just put the Rams in a corner on Monday night. A corner I have little doubt they can emerge out of. The no-show that they demonstrated against the Ravens was revealing.
Let’s face it, the Los Angeles Rams are in shambles. The current state of affairs is crashing down and there isn’t even a future to look forward with this team since they gave away all of their draft capital. It really is insane how far this team has fallen since the New England Patriots bottled them up in the Super Bowl. The Rams will try to bounce back this weekend when they head to Glendale to face the Cardinals.
At this point, I’d favor the Cardinals to win that matchup. I just don’t see any more than a win or two with this team the rest of the way. It’s clear that Sean McVay has been figured out, Todd Gurley is washed and Jared Goff is getting exposed. It was a nice two year run the Rams had, but their time is now over.
Arizona Cardinals (3-7-1)
The Cardinals spent this past week on their bye, but will pick things back up this weekend to host the Rams. As poor as their record is, there is a lot of things to like about the Cardinals. It would not shock me, in fact I am expecting them to beat the Rams on Sunday. The Cardinals will soon be a rising team in this league.
