The NFC West’s Week 8 picture is tight at the top, messy at the bottom, and suddenly a little less comfortable for San Francisco.
The 49ers are still in first place, but their perfect run is gone after Sunday’s 29-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta. San Francisco had a 14-3 lead in the second quarter before the game slipped away, with the Falcons ripping off 23 straight points. Brock Purdy was intercepted twice, and Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdown passes.
Seattle took advantage, moving up to 4-3 after a dominant 20-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. The Seahawks kept Ken Walker - who left the Seahawks in free agency after winning Super Bowl MVP - to 36 yards on 14 carries and picked off Patrick Mahomes once. Running back Emanuel Wilson piled up 100 yards and a touchdown, while Jaxon SmithNjigba turned in a big night with nine catches for 150 yards and a score.
The Rams also stayed in the mix with a 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum both topped 90 rushing yards and each found the end zone, and Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes.
Arizona, meanwhile, slid right back into the division cellar. After beating the Rams in Week 6, the Cardinals fell 30-16 to the Denver Broncos and have now allowed at least 30 points five times this season. They gave up three plays of more than 45 yards and went 1-for-5 in the red zone.
Here’s where the NFC West stands now:
San Francisco 49ers, 6-1 (3-0 division)
Seattle Seahawks, 4-3 (1-1 division)
Los Angeles Rams, 3-4 (0-2 division)
Arizona Cardinals, 2-5 (1-2 division)
Week 8 brings a bye for San Francisco. Arizona heads on the road to face the 3-4 Dallas Cowboys, who blew out the Philadelphia Eagles 38-21 on Monday night. The Rams will host the winless Los Angeles Chargers, and Seattle finishes the week with a Monday night home game against the 5-2 Chicago Bears.
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Carson Beck Timeline Just Became A Real Cardinals Debate
Through the first seven weeks of the 2026 season, the rookie quarterback class has been a study in patience, with none of the 10 drafted passers making a start yet except undrafted Jalon Daniels in Tampa Bay. That slow rollout has only sharpened the conversation around Arizona, where Carson Beck remains in line as one of the young quarterbacks who could finally get a real look once the second half of the schedule opens up.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, are still searching for a more stable answer under center, and that keeps Becks timeline squarely in the mix as the season wears on. With veteran Jacoby Brissett holding the job for now, Arizona has a decision to make about when it wants to move from evaluation to action, and the timing of Becks first start is becoming one of the more interesting debates around the team. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Sweat Trade Buzz Puts Cardinals In A Familiar Deadline Spot
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Interest around the edge rusher has been building, with Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco among the teams linked to him. Sweat has been pushing for a new contract with guaranteed money, while Arizona is balancing that against its current place in the standings and how it wants to handle his injury management. For a team that has not shied away from making tough deadline calls before, this has the feel of one more decision that could reveal how aggressively it plans to reshape the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Wilson Suddenly Gives Cardinals A New Week 8 Concern
Michael Wilsons week took an uneasy turn at Cardinals practice Wednesday, when the receiver was spotted in a yellow non-contact jersey, a clear sign something is bothering him. For a team already trying to sort through its offensive rhythm, any uncertainty around Wilson matters because his recent role has made him part of the conversation about how Arizona wants to attack through the air.
Mike LaFleur did not offer much clarity in his press conference, leaving Wilsons status open-ended for the moment. The Cardinals are expected to release their first injury report later Wednesday, which should at least provide a better picture of what is going on and whether this is a short-term issue or something the offense has to plan around going into Week 8. [Read more 🡒]