The NFC West picture got a little clearer in Week 8, even with the San Francisco 49ers sitting on the sideline.
San Francisco used its bye to catch a break in more ways than one. The 49ers brought DeForest Buckner back home, got some much-needed rest for injured players, and watched the Seattle Seahawks get embarrassed on Monday Night Football. That combination left the Niners in the best spot in the division, even if nothing is settled yet.
The title race is still alive, though. The Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals both came away with big wins, and the Seahawks are not out of the mix just yet. Still, the 49ers enter Week 9 with the division lead and the kind of cushion they wanted heading into November.
Here’s where the NFC West stands now.
The 49ers didn’t even have to play to come out as the biggest winner of the week. Seattle’s loss to the Chicago Bears pushed San Francisco to a two-and-a-half-game lead in the NFC West race. The Rams and Seahawks can still make things interesting, but the Niners are in as strong a position as they could have hoped for at this stage.
Buckner’s arrival gives San Francisco more punch on the defensive line, and the roster already has enough firepower on both sides of the ball to hang with the NFL’s best teams. Even with that, don’t be surprised if general manager John Lynch keeps working the phones. The 49ers could still use another pass-catcher for the playoff push.
Next game: Sunday, Nov. 8 vs. Raiders
The Rams are starting to look like a team that has steadied itself after a rough opening stretch. They’ve now moved into a tie with the Seahawks for second place in the division, and while they still haven’t landed a marquee win, they’ve been far more functional over the last month.
Their four victories have come against teams with a combined record of 10-19-1, so there’s still a long way to go before anyone starts calling them a true contender. But the early-season mess has given way to something more respectable.
Myles Garrett is set to return to practice this week, which should give the Rams defense a real lift once he’s back on the field. A trade could still be coming too, possibly for a receiver. For now, though, this is no longer the team that looked like a disaster earlier in the year.
Next game: Sunday, Nov. 8 @ Commanders
Seattle’s problems were laid bare in the loss to Chicago, and the offense is the biggest concern. A Super Bowl-caliber attack can’t depend only on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, no matter how electric he is. The Seahawks need more ways to push the ball downfield.
The Bears exposed Seattle on both sides of the ball, but the offensive issues were the louder alarm. Jadarian Price’s return was supposed to help bring some balance, yet he managed only 2.9 yards per carry on 10 attempts.
Seattle’s offense was built around two things: Smith-Njigba’s explosiveness and a steady run game. Without one of those pieces, the whole thing has looked shaky.
Next game: Sunday, Nov. 8 vs. Cardinals
Arizona keeps proving it won’t be an easy out. For the second time in three weeks, the Cardinals pulled off a win as at least seven-point underdogs, this time rallying past the Dallas Cowboys in overtime, 33-30.
Gardner Minshew sparked the comeback with a furious fourth quarter, and the result reinforced what Arizona has shown over the last month: the Cardinals may not be a serious NFC West threat or a playoff team, but they are not going to hand anybody a free win.
In Other News...
DeForest Buckners Return Gives 49ers A Pass-Rush Jolt
DeForest Buckner is back where his NFL career began, and the timing could not be much better for a 49ers defense looking for a lift after the bye. San Francisco brought him back in a trade, adding a familiar face to a pass rush that can always use another proven interior presence. Buckner has four sacks this season, and his return gives the 49ers another disruptive option as they head into the second half.
For Buckner, the move was about more than just a reunion. He said he wanted to come back to San Francisco because of his familiarity with the organization and his focus on getting better week to week, a mindset that should fit right back into the 49ers' locker room. Now the question is how quickly he can settle in and make an impact again, with the team hoping his presence helps sharpen a defense that already knows exactly what he brings. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Already Have A Bigger WR Problem Than Expected
The 49ers have spent real draft capital on wide receivers in recent years, but the position is already looking like a longer-term issue than they probably hoped. CBS Sports Ryan Wilson has San Francisco eyeing Indiana junior Nick Marsh in his 2027 NFL mock draft, a nod to how much the team continues to value size and physicality on the outside, especially from a player who can win contested catches.
Marshs profile fits the kind of receiver room the 49ers have tried to build, but the need is being sharpened by the present-day reality of the roster. Ricky Pearsall is out for the year with a knee injury, and DeZhaun Stribling is expected back only in December after ankle surgery, leaving the team to navigate a position that may need help now and down the road. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Hold A Trade Chip Baltimore Might Desperately Need
The quarterback picture in Baltimore has gone from shaky to urgent, and it has suddenly put a familiar name on the radar in San Francisco. With Lamar Jackson dealing with a thumb injury that requires surgery and likely sends him to injured reserve, and Tyler Huntley also banged up, the Ravens are staring at a thin depth chart at the worst possible time as they try to keep their season from veering off course.
That is why the 49ers have become part of the conversation, with Mac Jones emerging as a possible answer if Baltimore decides it needs a veteran bridge option. Jones has handled himself well in a starting role, which only adds to his appeal, but San Francisco has been reluctant to move him and would not be expected to make it easy for a desperate team to pry him loose. [Read more 🡒]