There’s one NFC game remaining in Week 9, but it’s between teams ranked 11th and 14th. Even with a win, the Dallas Cowboys would be on the outside looking in of the playoff picture.

Let’s look at the NFC Standings a week a day before the NFL’s trade deadline.

NFC Playoff Picture

We will break the teams up into perceived tiers:

1) Philadelphia Eagles – 6-2 (5-1 in the NFC)
2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 6-2(4-2)
3) Seattle Seahawks – 6-2 (3-2)
4) Green Bay Packers – 5-2-1(3-1-1)
5) Los Angeles Rams – 6-2 (1-2)
6) San Francisco 49ers...

After a disappointing Week 8 loss in Houston, the San Francisco 49ers bounced back and closed the quick two-game road trip with an impressive 34-24 win over the New York Giants.

The 34 points were the 49ers’ highest output of the season so far, meaning all three stars will come from that side of the ball. The defense improved after its poor performance in Houston. After allowing an opening drive score, the Giants wouldn’t put points on the board until the midway point of the third quarter. By the time the Giants scored their 14 points in the fourth quarter,...

The potential Miami Dolphins fire sale began on Monday morning. Jaelan Phillips reunited with former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The Eagles acquired Phillips from Miami for a third-round pick.

Phillips comes with immense pass-rush upside. Perhaps the dealbreaker for the San Francisco 49ers was that Phillips was under contract only for this season. Plus, he counts against the comp pick formula.

The Niners may turn their attention to New York, where the 2-7 Giants and 1-7 Jets have a couple of pieces along the defensive line that could help boost a 49ers pass rush that might miss first-round pick [Mykel...

It was not a good day for John Hussey’s officiating crew. One of the more noticeable things from the 49ers’ 34–24 win over the New York Giants on Sunday was how baffling some of the calls that fell on Hussey’s watch. The 49ers got away with a couple of things, too—notably a false start on 4th and 1. That’s nothing compared to these three plays that happened in the third quarter.

Things start with 10:00 to go on 3rd and 13. Mac Jones dropped back and threw toward Jauan Jennings — and even live, it looked like he was tangled...

The pool of edge rush options for the 49ers at the trade deadline has decreased slightly.

After landing Keion White last week, it is widely expected the 49ers will strike another trade on the defensive line, a possibility increased by the injury suffered to Mykel Williams in Sunday’s win over the New York Giants.

Yet it will not be Jaelan Phillips bolstering the 49ers’ depleted front.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Monday that the Philadelphia Eagles had agreed to a trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire 2021 first-round pick Phillips.

Phillips heads to the defending Super Bowl champions...

49ers’ win has George Kittle dancing, but will ongoing injuries end the music? (paywall)
“Yes, it came against the NFL’s 30th-ranked run defense. But it was reminiscent of Shanahan’s vaunted ground game that ranked fourth in the league in rushing from 2017-24. Kittle termed the drive “sick.” Shanahan said he considered calling a play-action pass in mid-drive before saying, “Screw it, we’ll just keep running it.”

“I feel like the running game is our bread and butter,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “When Kyle senses the blood in the water, you know it because you see the runs coming back-to-back-to-back....

Jayden Daniels returns for the Washington Commanders as they host the Seattle Seahawks. It’s Sam Darnold on the road against a team that brings pressure and will play a lot of man coverage. From a matchup standpoint, you can’t ask for a better team to play if you’re Washington.

Seattle is off a bye week, but that bye didn’t come at a good time. The Seahawks’ momentum might have been interrupted during the break. Meanwhile, the Commanders are coming off a blowout loss where they didn’t look competitive.

On the flip side, Daniels gets to go against a team that...

The San Francisco 49ers fought their way to another victory, beating the New York Giants 34-24 on the road to improve to 6-3 and remain firmly in the NFC West race.

San Francisco came in with depth concerns along the defensive line and without Brock Purdy once again. And things looked on edge early, as the Giants had an early 10-play, 64-yard touchdown drive. That marked the second straight game the 49ers defense gave up an opening drive touchdown after not having one for the entire season before that.

But, the 49ers recovered after that with a strong start from...

The San Francisco 49ers have had horrific luck at MetLife Stadium throughout the years. That luck did not get any better on Sunday against the New York Giants.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the 49ers may have lost first-round pick Mykel Williams to a torn ACL. He said, “We’re worried it’s an ACL, but you never know until tomorrow.” Shanahan didn’t see the injury.

Here’s Shanahan on how Mykel is feeling: “He’s just down. I told him, ‘You never know. Hopefully, it’s not the worst. If it is, it sucks for this year, but you’ll be back next year, and...

The San Francisco 49ers gave up an opening drive touchdown, and the immediate thought was, “Here we go again.” The New York Giants marched 64 yards in ten plays that took just over four minutes off the clock to take an early 7-0 lead.

Unlike last week, the offense punched back. They stayed on the field for 12 plays, taking over six and a half minutes off the clock, before finding the end zone to tie the game at seven. Mac Jones went 6-for-6 on the drive. Christian McCaffrey had his longest run of the season, and Jordan Watkins had...

Injuries on both sides may have robbed us of what could have been a heck of a game between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants.

Recency bias would lead you to believe Jaxson Dart is about to have a field day against a defense that just gave up a handful of explosive plays to an anemic Houston Texans offense. It doesn’t help that most of those chunk plays came against the area of the field where Robert Saleh’s defense has been most susceptible all year: The slot.

Rookie Upton Stout will prevent Wan’Dale Robinson in the slot, who...

The San Francisco 49ers’ inactive list is out for today’s game against the New York Giants:
QB Brock Purdy
C Jake Brendel
DE Bryce Huff
WR Ricky Pearsall
RB Jordan James
DT CJ West
S Marques Sigle

Sigle is a healthy scratch after playing 23 special teams snaps last week and is a seven-game starter.

The defensive line will have Jordan Elliott and Sam Okuayinonu. Linebacker Dee Winters, who was also questionable, is active.

Local reporters Cam Inman and Matt Barrows hinted that Spencer Burford, who was activated from the Injured Reserve Saturday, will start at left guard. That is...