Tag: nfc west standings

Golden Tate believes the Seahawks can ‘shock the world’

Golden Tate believes the Seahawks can ‘shock the world’

It is simply amazing the world of difference even a single win can mean in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks likely saved their season from going under with their 20-17 upset win over the San Francisco 49ers. It may only be a single win, but it was the difference between falling to 4-6 or improving to 5-5, which puts them right back in the middle of the NFC West hunt.

Folks around the league are noticing it, such as former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate. On Good Morning Football, Tate explained how this team can potentially “shock the world” given the opportunity presented to them in the near future.

Namely, the Arizona Cardinals, who Seattle faces twice in the next three weeks. Including this weekend, for a crucial divisional showdown.

When Tate says the next few weeks could “make or break” the Seahawks’ season, he is not exaggerating. Arizona is the only team in the NFC West with a winning record, but they are only 6-4. Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco are all close behind with identical 5-5 records. In fact, the NFC West is the only division in football where not one team is below .500 on the year.

Facing the Cardinals twice in a three-week span is a tall order, but an excellent opportunity to potentially find a way to get back into first place.

Right now, the NFC Playoff picture looks like the North is going to send three teams to the postseason – Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota. In the East, the Eagles look back to their usual winning ways, but the Washington Commanders are perhaps the shock team of the conference. Should all those teams qualify for the playoffs, then the only path for a West team to get in the dance would be to win the division outright.

So, why not Seattle? Like Showtime Tate said, it’s make or break time.

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Updated NFC West standings after Week 11

Updated NFC West standings after Week 11

For the better part of almost two full decades now, the NFC West has widely been regarded as one of the best divisions in football. While it may not be what it once was during the peak Legion of Boom days, it is still one of the more competitive divisions in the league.

We are through 11 weeks of the regular season, and here is how the NFC West is currently shaping up:

  • Arizona Cardinals 6-4 (2-0 in the division)
  • Los Angeles Rams 5-5 (2-1 in the division)
  • Seattle Seahawks 5-5 (1-2 in the division)
  • San Francisco 49ers (1-3 in the division)

The Los Angeles Rams bounced back from their dismal Week 10 defeat on Monday Night Football with a 28-22 win over the New England Patriots on the road. The Arizona Cardinals stood pat as they enjoyed their Bye Week. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks forced their way back into this competitive quagmire with their 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco all have identical 5-5 records, but the Rams top the Hawks and Niners due to head-to-head wins over both. Seattle and San Francisco have split, but the Seahawks now have the better in-division record over the 49ers, which is the next tiebreaker.

Things will surely continue to get more interesting as the regular season continues to wind down, and especially next week. The Seahawks will face the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field for their first meeting of the 2024 campaign. Should Seattle be able to defend home turf against the Red Birds, and the Rams lose to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, the Seahawks will once again find themselves back in first place in the NFC West.

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Seahawks QB Geno Smith really wants to beat the 49ers on Sunday

Seahawks QB Geno Smith really wants to beat the 49ers on Sunday

The Seattle Seahawks are facing a critical matchup within the NFC West against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. The Week 11 date is the final scheduled meeting versus the 49ers this season after the Bay Area-based team beat the Seahawks 36-24 in Week 6. Starting quarterback Geno Smith is 0-5 in his career against the divisional rival. Smith is anxious to put those struggles behind him on Sunday.

“It’s very personal, man,” Smith responded when asked about defeating the 49ers on Sunday. “When you think about division opponents, these games matter the most. Especially with the 49ers. They’ve been on top of our division for a while. If we want to be the type of team we say we are, we’ve got to go through teams like this. I know I’m going to step on the field with that chip on my shoulder, that edge I always have,” Smith concluded.

The 4-5 Seahawks are at the bottom of the NFC West. The 5-4 49ers trail the surprising 6-4 Arizona Cardinals. Smith struggled in the first meeting versus the 49ers, completing 30 of 52 passing attempts for 312 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Running back Kenneth Walker III was limited to 32 rushing yards and DK Metcalf totaled just 48 receiving yards. Smith will be anxious to spearhead a far more successful offensive showing on Sunday.

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Importance of 49ers Week 10 win illustrated in USA TODAY NFL power rankings

Week 10 wasn’t pretty, but it was enough to push the 49ers way up the NFL power rankings.

It may not have looked exactly how they wanted it to look, but the San Francisco 49ers secured an important 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.

There’s plenty for the 49ers to iron out, particularly on special teams where a muffed punt and a trio of missed field goals changed the tenor of Sunday’s game. However, their victory was crucial for keeping pace in the NFC West and NFC playoff races.

A good illustrator of just how important their Week 10 win was comes via the USA TODAY NFL power rankings. San Francisco entered the week at No. 16, but finished at No. 11, one spot behind the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals.

While they didn’t play their best football in Week 10, there are reasons to believe better play is coming given their post-Bye history under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Via USA TODAY’s Nate Davis:

Their post-bye record in 2024 (with RB Christian McCaffrey) is 1-0. Their post-bye record since 2021 is 31-9.

This is a nice stat that should provide some optimism for 49ers fans. However, the 2024 season hasn’t been great through 10 weeks and the team hasn’t shown the ability to flip a switch and dominate a game for 60 minutes.

Cutting down on self-inflicted wounds could quickly set the 49ers up as a Super Bowl contender once again. If they continue making those mistakes, they won’t be a team hanging around the top 10 much longer with games coming up against NFC West rival Seattle, the No. 9 Green Bay Packers and No. 4 Buffalo Bills.

If the 49ers are going to be a contender this year, they’ll have to prove it in this stretch.

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NFC playoff picture highlights why Week 10 win was vital for 49ers

The 49ers so badly needed that win over the Buccaneers. Peep the standings.

The San Francisco 49ers’ Week 10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t be confused for a football masterclass.

San Francisco missed three field goals, muffed a punt, went one-for-three in the red zone and committed four defensive penalties for 39 yards on Tampa Bay’s game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter.

While the victory might have left some scratching their heads about how good this 49ers team is, they needed to get a win to stick around in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt.

They got a little help from the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. They dropped the Los Angeles Rams 23-15 and moved them to 4-5 on the season. It leaves the NFC West standings looking like this after 10 weeks:

1. Cardinals (6-4)
2. 49ers (5-4)
3. Rams (4-5)
4. Seahawks (4-5)

A 49ers loss would have kept them in third place and even further behind the Arizona Cardinals for the division lead, and Arizona has a relatively soft schedule coming up after their Week 11 Bye. Keeping pace with them was a big deal for the 49ers.

San Francisco also climbed up the overall NFC playoff picture. They’re still not in the top seven, but a wild card spot seems far more attainable now than it would’ve had they dropped Sunday’s game in Tampa Bay.

At 5-4, the 49ers sit one game behind the Green Bay Packers for the seventh and final playoff spot. Here’s what the NFC playoff picture looks like after Week 10:

1. Lions (8-1)
2. Eagles (7-2)
3. Falcons (6-4)
4. Cardinals (6-4)
5. Vikings (7-2)
6. Commanders (7-3)
7. Packers (6-3)

8. 49ers (5-4)
9. Bears (4-5)
10. Rams (4-5)
11. Seahawks (4-5)

It’s not exactly where the 49ers wanted to be, but winning in Week 10 put them in position to make a run, and gave themselves a little bit of margin for error if they drop one of their upcoming games against the Seahawks, Packers or Bills.

Sunday might not have been pretty, but the 49ers got a win they needed. Now they need to find ways to play better down the stretch to take advantage of the spot they’re in entering Week 11.

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Updated NFC West standings for Seahawks heading into Week 10 MNF

Updated NFC West standings for Seahawks heading into Week 10 MNF

The Seattle Seahawks enjoyed their Week 10 bye on Sunday. The NFC West standings received further shake-ups with two of Seattle’s division rivals capturing victories. It wasn’t a great afternoon for the Seahawks. The following standing changes occurred in the NFC West.

Cardinals improve to 6-4

The shocking Arizona Cardinals remain in first place after blowing out the New York 31-6. Quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 266 yards and one touchdown while completing 91.6 percent of his passing attempts (22-of-24). Rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches, 54 receiving yards and one score.

The Cardinals are red-hot, having claimed victory in four consecutive contests. Jonathan Gannon’s team is now the first six-win squad in the NFC West. The Seahawks will meet the division-leading Cardinals in Week 12.

49ers move to 5-4

San Francisco 49ers superstar running back Christian McCaffrey made his regular-season debut in a 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kicker Jake Moody missed several kicking attempts, but converted a 44-yarder with mere seconds remaining to help his team avoid overtime. The 49ers improved to 5-4 and remained in second place heading into Monday evening.

McCaffrey rushed for 39 yards via 13 carries, and added 68 receiving yards to his offensive totals through six receptions. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 36-24 in Week 6. The rematch is scheduled for this Sunday in Week 11.

Rams play on Monday Night Football

The 4-4 Los Angeles Rams are playing the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. If the Rams are victorious, the Seahawks will become the NFC West’s lone remaining team stuck on four victories. After losing 26-20 to the Rams in Week 9, the rematch is slated for Week 18’s regular-season finale.

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Week 9 NFL scores were mostly bad news for 49ers

Week 9 scores weren’t kind to the 49ers …

The San Francisco 49ers got to sit back and watch Week 9 NFL action and hope for some beneficial results.

They got mostly bad news as the dust settled on Sunday’s slate of games, and they didn’t move up or down in the NFC West.

In some bad news, the Arizona Cardinals throttled the Chicago Bears 29-9 in Arizona. That victory moved the Cardinals to 5-4 overall, putting them a full game up on the 49ers in the division with the head-to-head tiebreaker in hand at least until they play again in Week 18.

In more neutral news, the Seattle Seahawks took a loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle is now in last in the division at 4-5, while the Rams moved to 4-4 and into a tie for second place with the 49ers. LA is technically ahead of the 49ers because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

With the win by the Cardinals, the 49ers were locked in to third place in the division. At 5-4, Arizona was guaranteed to hold at least a share of first place, but the Rams-Seahawks loser was going to end up in last place with the 4-4 49ers holding firm in third.

We can also virtually rule out any chance of San Francisco securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season after the Detroit Lions obliterated the Green Bay Packers 24-14 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score. Detroit is now 7-1 overall and doesn’t seem primed to lose as many games as they’ll need to lose for the 49ers to eclipse them.

The rest of this season is officially about the NFC West for the 49ers since they’re now fighting uphill for the division. Seeding may matter down the line, but for now their four losses are two more than four of the seven playoff teams.

San Francisco will be in action on the road in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Seahawks now 3rd in NFC West standings

Seahawks now 3rd in NFC West standings

As I have said multiple times, life comes at you fast in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks are currently experiencing this. Seattle started the season with a 3-0 record and in sole possession of the NFC West, giving them an early lead to claim their first division title since the 2020 season.

Since then, they have lost the top spot not once but twice, and this latest drop is the most precipitous yet. Seattle lost their first place standing on Sunday afternoon following their blowout loss to the Bills, and the Cardinals narrowly escaping Miami with a 28-27 win. But by the end of Sunday Night Football, the Niners had passed the Seahawks, thanks to their win against the Dallas Cowboys.

As it stands, the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals of all teams all have identical 4-4 records. However, not every 4-4 record is built the same. Due to division records and head-to-head tiebreakers, the Seahawks – while tied technically tied for first with the other two – are occupying third place in the NFC West.

  1. Arizona Cardinals 4-4 (div 2-0)
  2. San Francisco 49ers 4-4 (div 1-2)
  3. Seattle Seahawks 4-4 (div 0-1)
  4. Los Angeles Rams 3-4 (div 1-1)

Arizona edges out San Francisco and Seattle due to their head-to-head win over the Niners, and their better record against NFC West opponents. The Niners of course have their head-to-head win over the Hawks from their last meeting on Thursday Night Football.

There are two ways of looking at this. The good news is with this division being so close and leads changing week to week, a lot can happen in the second half of the season. By no means are the Seahawks out of it in the division race. A win + Cardinals loss to Chicago next week puts Seattle back into first. Both of these scenarios are obviously possible. San Francisco has a bye.

Unfortunately, the bad news is the volatility argument cuts both ways. The Seahawks’ next opponent will be the Los Angeles Rams, who have historically owned Seattle under head coach Sean McVay. Even before him, Jeff Fisher’s teams routinely gave the Seahawks fits.

The Rams swept the Seahawks last year, including a dominating 30-13 win at Lumen Field to start the season. Should Los Angeles beat Seattle again, which is of course another distinct possibility given how they are getting healthy at the right (or wrong, by Seattle standards) time, the Seahawks will fall to the basement of the division with a 4-5 record.

There is obviously a lot on the line for Seattle next week, and they’ll surely be in for another dogfight against the Rams.

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49ers have to use trade deadline to separate from jam-packed NFC West

It’s trade time for the 49ers … look no further than the jam-packed NFC West for proof:

Part of the reason the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys was so massive is because of their place in the NFC West.

Had the 49ers lost to Dallas on Sunday night it would have dropped them to last place in the division, a half game below the 3-4 Los Angeles Rams. Instead, they won and put themselves in the thick of a logjam at the top.

Coming out of Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals lead the NFC West by way of head-to-head tiebreakers with the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers. All three teams are 4-4 after eight weeks.

The 49ers are in second place thanks to their head-to-head victory over the Seahawks.

Seattle is in third with the Rams bringing up the rear only a half game back of the 4-4 trio.

It’s clear, as currently constructed, the 49ers are going to be in a dogfight to reclaim the NFC West crown. They’ve struggled to close out games. Their injury situation has left them digging deep into their roster, and through half a season they don’t appear to be a Super Bowl contender.

Running back Christian McCaffrey’s return at some point after their Week 9 Bye will be helpful. However, the trade deadline is where the 49ers can create some real separation.

Neither the Seahawks nor Cardinals are likely to fancy themselves Super Bowl contenders. Both teams have been good, but the expectations for those clubs are significantly different than they are for the 49ers. There’s urgency in San Francisco that may not be felt in Seattle or Arizona.

The 49ers have a couple of clear needs to address at the deadline, and their front office during the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era hasn’t been shy about being aggressive.

Part of their need to make a move at the deadline is because they need to contend with the likes of Detroit, Kansas City and other Super Bowl contenders. The other part is creating some distance from the rest of their division.

San Francisco should be the best team in the NFC West. Approaching the deadline, they’re not. A couple of trades to shore up some of their issues on either side of the ball should help them re-establish dominance in the division in time to make a run and leave the rest of the logjam behind them.

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49ers climb in NFC West standings with 2 huge division games looming

The 49ers gained a game on every team in the NFC West this week.

Week 4 was a big one for the San Francisco 49ers as they aimed to end a two-game losing skid and keep up in the NFC West.

Not only did the 49ers dominate their matchup with the New England Patriots 30-13, they were also the team in the division to notch a win in Week 4.

The Los Angeles Rams got dropped by the Chicago Bears 24-18 at Soldier Field on Sunday morning. Then the Arizona Cardinals got walloped 42-14 at home by the Washington Commanders. Monday night the Seattle Seahawks fell 42-29 to the Lions in a shootout at Ford Field in Detroit.

San Francisco entered the week tied with the Rams and Cardinals at the bottom of the division. Now they’ve gained some separation and picked up a game on the Seahawks.

Here’s what the NFC West standings look like with four weeks down:

1. Seattle Seahawks (3-1)
2. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
3. Arizona Cardinals (1-3)
4. Los Angeles Rams (1-3)

Week 5 marks the start of a massive stretch for the 49ers in the division race. They’ll host the Cardinals on Sunday before hitting a quick turnaround and flying to face the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football.

Getting back on track with a win was big for the 49ers, and now they go into a portion of their schedule where they can really make ground in the division and re-assert themselves as the team to beat.

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