The 49ers got a little breathing room in Week 8, and they didn’t have to lift a finger to earn it.
While San Francisco was on its much-needed bye, two teams helped shape the NFC picture in a big way. The Detroit Lions handed the Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the season, and the Chicago Bears knocked off the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. For the 49ers, that combination was about as good as it gets.
Minnesota’s loss mattered most at the top of the conference. The Vikings are now tied with the 49ers at 6-1, but San Francisco holds the edge through the strength of victory tiebreaker and sits in the No. 1 seed spot. The playoffs are still far away, and plenty can change, but the Lions’ win over Minnesota gave the 49ers a real boost.
That result could also open the door to a rough patch for the Vikings. They now head into a stretch that includes the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and then the 49ers in Mexico City. That could easily turn into three straight losses, and Minnesota no longer looks like a team that can simply lean on its defense and keep rolling.
Seattle’s loss was just as useful from a division standpoint. A win would have trimmed the 49ers’ lead in the NFC West, but the Seahawks instead took a hard home defeat to Chicago. That keeps San Francisco in a stronger position to control the division race.
The Bears’ win matters for another reason, too. The Seahawks’ offense has been a problem, and it still looks like one.
Outside of feeding Jaxon Smith-Njigba, they have had trouble moving the ball consistently. Their defense remains a major challenge for the 49ers, but the offense is the side that’s holding them back.
That’s why the Bears, and even the 49ers, have already shown a path for slowing Seattle down. If the Seahawks can’t put together a run soon, San Francisco could pull away in the NFC West faster than expected.
The only catch for the 49ers is that Chicago’s win makes the Bears a more serious threat in the race for the No. 1 seed. Still, after Week 8, San Francisco has every reason to be pleased with how the standings shook out.
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