It is both not over, and not looking too good
So, Sunday night, there was a football game in which the San Francisco 49ers got thumped by the Buffalo Bills 35-10. It was not fun. Mistakes once again cost the 49ers in a game that should have been 28-23 at one point.
It begs the question we ask each week: do you see the 49ers doing much in the postseason? Neither do I.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have won another game coming from behind to strengthen their grip on the NFC West.
The 49ers’ postseason hopes are not entirely over, but they are circling the drain. With fear that Christian McCaffrey is now out with a possible PCL injury, the 49ers are running out of bodies to make it to the middle of December, let alone February. It’s almost time for mock drafts. Almost.
Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
If you had turned on this game early, you might have been shocked to see the New York Jets with a lead over the Seahawks. The Jets were up by 14 points at one time. Then, the Seahawks scored 19 unanswered points. It wasn’t without controversy. The big highlight of the game might not be what happened during it, but after. Jets cornerback D.J. Reed (yes, the same D.J. Reed drafted by the 49ers) called out the officials on social media in what will probably result in a fine later this week:
Reed got flagged for holding Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Locket. However, the most notable penalty on the Jets was a fourth-and-1 stop. A stop flipped to a first down, thanks to a horse collar tackle.
The call on Locket is pretty much up to you. But it could be worse. The refs could blow a ball dead with a false start and then give the other team the fumble afterward. I know that sounds complicated, and you say, “Oh, that’s too asinine to happen.” Trust me, it can.
Regardless, the Jets remembered they were the Jets, and the Seahawks got to be beneficiaries of another blown lead. The win puts Seattle into the driver’s seat of the NFC West. They are now a game ahead of everyone. They have a few challenging games left on the schedule, namely the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. They also have a few divisional games left. Nothing is set in stone, but the Seahawks are in a prime position to take this thing, provided they don’t collapse.
Arizona Cardinals (6-6)
Recall back to Week 2 when the 49ers went into Minnesota to play the Vikings. The 49ers were thoroughly dominated in that game, never having a lead. The game ended 23-17, Vikings.
On Sunday, the Cardinals were doing the opposite to the Vikings in Minnesota. With just over one minute left in the third quarter, the Cardinals were winning 19-6. There was little to suggest they couldn’t hang on and walk out of this thing with a victory. Well, except for the fact the Vikings were knocking on the door, and Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to make it 19-13 right before the clock ticked to 1:00 left.
The Vikings inched closer through the fourth quarter while the Cardinals settled on a single field goal. A crucial touchdown scored with just a minute left in the fourth quarter gave the lead to the Vikings, 23-22. Once getting the ball back, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray fumbled it away only a few plays into the series and victory formation.
So the Cardinals could not do the opposite of what the 49ers did to the Vikings, but they certainly had a better showing than the 49ers had. Does this fall into tiebreakers? Probably not, given the 49ers’ abysmal divisional record, but at least we know it wouldn’t come into play if the Cardinals find themselves in a tie with the 49ers.
Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
And then there’s the Rams. They traveled to face the New Orleans Saints. The game started with New Orleans getting a couple of field goals in the first half.
No, that’s all the first half had: two field goals.
The second half rolled around, and the Rams scored 14 points. The Saints followed with a touchdown of their own and a two-point conversion, but the Rams just went ahead and scored about three minutes later. Ballgame with eight minutes left.
The Rams now enter a tie with the Cardinals for second place. They have a few divisional games to straighten out through the remainder of the season, so they can take care of tiebreakers and get control. They are not out of this.
Onto Week 14
The 49ers can’t afford to lose any more games. Even if they win their remaining schedule, that does not guarantee a postseason spot, given how they performed all season. Luckily, their next game is the Chicago Bears. The Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus and have their own set of issues, so maybe that’s an opportunity for the 49ers to notch win No. 6.
The Seahawks will face the Cardinals in Arizona. That game is one to watch due to the serious divisional consequences. Seattle won the last game against the Cardinals, and a second win would start wrapping things up for the division in Seattle’s favor, depending on how the Rams shake out. If the Cardinals can win, that opens things up ever so slightly.
The Rams host the Buffalo Bills. The same Buffalo Bills you watched thump the 49ers on primetime Sunday. The game is in Los Angeles, so there won’t be snow this time; maybe that will level the playing field. Having a bit of a run defense might help, too.
1st: Seattle Seahawks; Next: at Arizona Cardinals
2nd: Arizona Cardinals; Next: vs. Seattle Seahawks
3rd: Los Angeles Rams; Next: vs. Buffalo Bills
4th: San Francisco 49ers; Next: vs. Chicago Bears