The 49ers didn’t have to take the field Sunday to get a useful look around the league. Week 6 gave San Francisco a little separation in the division, a few potential trade-deadline talking points, and another reminder of how quickly the NFC picture can shift.
The biggest result for the 49ers came on Thursday night, when the Broncos beat the Seahawks 17-14. That loss dropped Seattle to 3-3, which means San Francisco will be no worse than two games ahead of a division rival heading into Week 7.
There’s also a much bigger picture in play this week. The 49ers will host the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football at Levi’s Stadium, and a win would move them to 6-0. That’s the headline item for San Francisco right now, but the rest of Sunday’s scoreboard brought a few other developments worth watching as the trade deadline gets closer and the standings start to harden.
One of those came in Indianapolis, where the Titans beat the Colts 26-20. The Colts dropped to 2-4 after giving up 20 fourth-quarter points to a Tennessee team that hadn’t scored more than 20 in any game this season. Afterward, Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner didn’t hide his frustration.
“ I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,” Buckner said via Pro Football Talk. “We lost to the Tennessee Titans, who were 0-5, and now they’re 1-5.”
Buckner has one year left on his contract and carries a salary cap hit of $26,607,820 this season. If the 49ers are looking for help on the trade market, the Colts could become sellers quickly. Results like this won’t help Indianapolis avoid that kind of move.
The Buccaneers also took a hit in the afternoon slate, falling 26-19 to the Steelers and dropping to 1-5. That brings Vita Vea into the conversation if Tampa Bay decides it wants to deal from a position of strength rather than ride out a lost season.
In New Orleans, the Saints beat the Giants 34-27, leaving New York at 3-2-1. That result matters because San Francisco entered Week 6 with its eyes on the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and now the 49ers and the Vikings are the only NFC teams with fewer than two losses.
Philadelphia also took another punch. The Panthers went into the city and beat the Eagles 25-14, handing Philadelphia its fourth straight loss and dropping the Eagles to 2-4.
Their wins have come against the Commanders and Titans. The 49ers are scheduled to host them in Week 17, a game that’s supposed to be on Sunday night in primetime, though that could change if things keep going this way, especially if Jalen Hurts misses significant time.
Out West, the Chiefs handled the Chargers 22-6, and Los Angeles is now 0-6. That led to a pair of 49ers-related thoughts in the source material: Mike McDaniel returning to San Francisco in some kind of offensive advisor role would be a nice midseason pickup if Jim Harbaugh decides to move on from his offensive coordinator, and Khalil Mack would look good in red and gold.
At 35, he’d also be the kind of player a struggling team like the Chargers might not be eager to keep around. George Kittle is already on board with the idea.
The other NFC West result only sharpened San Francisco’s position. The Cardinals edged the Rams 18-16, sending Los Angeles to 2-4 after back-to-back losses to the Bills and Cardinals.
The Rams now risk falling four games behind the 49ers if San Francisco beats Washington on Monday night. Arizona is also 2-4, but its head-to-head win gives it the tiebreaker over Los Angeles, which means the Rams will head into Week 7 in last place in the NFC West.
Here’s how the division stood entering Monday night: 49ers (5-0)
Seahawks (3-3) Cardinals (2-4)
Rams (!) (2-4)
The Cowboys’ 23-13 loss to the Packers didn’t do much directly for San Francisco, but it did leave Dallas looking messy, which is always worth noting.
In Other News...
Kyle Juszczyk Just Reignited A Ugly 49ers Controversy
A fresh layer was added to an old 49ers grievance after Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson got tossed in Week 6 for spitting on Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. The incident immediately brought back memories in San Francisco, where Kyle Juszczyk said Gardner-Johnson had done the same to him in a game last season, a claim that had already helped fuel some hard feelings around the league.
Gardner-Johnson pushed back on the accusation, but the latest ejection only gave the story new life for 49ers fans who remember how it played out the first time. With one ugly moment already on the record, the lingering question is less about the punishment Gardner-Johnson just received and more about what comes next for a controversy that clearly was never fully put to rest. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Face A Costly Linebacker Test At The Worst Time
A linebacker room already under pressure now has one more wrinkle to sort out, and it comes at a bad time for San Francisco. Dre Greenlaw will miss the next game after his Week 5 ejection for headbutting an opponent, leaving the 49ers to adjust defensively as they prepare for Washington.
The immediate answer appears to be rookie Jaden Dugger, who is expected to step into Greenlaws role for the matchup with the Commanders. For a defense that leans on Greenlaws presence and experience, the timing makes this more than a simple depth-chart shuffle, especially with the appeal process having already run its course. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Could Face One Sneaky Problem On Monday Night
The 49ers are set to host the Washington Commanders on Monday night at Levis Stadium, and the setup looks more like a late-fall Bay Area evening than a weather worry. Temperatures are expected to dip into the upper 50s by kickoff, with stadium gates opening in the afternoon for fans making their way in for prime-time football.
Still, there is one small element that could matter once the game gets going. The forecast calls for minimal rain, but the wind could become the more noticeable factor as the night wears on, and that can have an impact on both the passing game and any decisions that reach into field-goal range. [Read more 🡒]