Niners Nation
I said last week the 49ers may have to run the table to win this divisional thing, but they’d still need some help. Well, the 49ers did their part, beating the Cleveland Browns 26-8 and improved to 9-4 on the season. They also got some BIG help on Sunday with the Los Angeles Rams falling to the Carolina Panthers. The same Carolina Panthers that the 49ers beat up on the week prior.
The loss helps the NFC West standings and the conference tiebreakers. The Rams may need a couple more conference losses to have it swing in the 49ers’ favor, but I’ll take what I can get.
The 49ers are now 9-4, going into the bye week with an absolutely depleted defensive roster. Even when considering the Super Bowl seasons, this may be Kyle Shanahan’s most impressive year as head coach, given what he’s had to deal with.
The best part is that the people getting the reps are the youngsters. Remember everyone calling for trades and free agency spending? The 49ers decided to stick with the younger guys and give them experience. It hasn’t always been pretty, but there’s a lot to build on with this defense. One more draft and a hopeful retention of Robert Saleh, and that defense could be downright filthy next year.
In the NFC playoff picture, the 49ers are the seventh seed. For them to get a division win, or even that coveted first-round bye, KP has the scenario written up right here.
As for Week 13? Well, the Rams’ probability to win the whole thing took a hit, thanks to Carolina.
Last week, all we heard about was Brock Purdy’s three interceptions against the Panthers’ defense. Concerning? Yes. Should he be benched? Um, no.
Well, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s streak of touchdowns without interceptions (28) ended at the hands of the Carolina Panthers. Stafford threw two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown) and also lost a fumble that decided the game. Carolina came out hot, getting a 14-7 lead to start the first quarter. The Rams tried to take the lead by getting another 14 points in the second quarter, but the Panthers were not going away. After a nice Bryce Young fourth-and-2 strike to put the Panthers up 31-28, the Panthers just had to play defense for another six minutes.
And play defense they did, forcing the fumble at the two-minute warning and upsetting the Rams. Final score: 31-28
But back to Stafford, he didn’t have his best game. I know he has some accolades, like his streak of touchdowns without an interception, but the point is, quarterbacks have bad games.
The Rams drop to 9-3 and are back tied with the 49ers, at least for one more week.
And congrats to Carolina. You now have beaten a second team above .500.
When you heard the Minnesota Vikings were not starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, you knew bad things could happen....
