Week 13 comes to a close tonight featuring a matchup with huge NFC implications. The 10-1 Seattle Seahawks host the 9-2 New Orleans Saints. A win for Seattle gives them a two game lead for the top seed (with the tiebreaker over both New Orleans and Carolina), and a three game lead over the 49ers with four games left. A win for the Saints moves them into a tie with the Seahawks for the top seed, and maintains their one-game lead over the Panthers.
It's always easy to root against the Seahawks, and I don't think tonight is much different. The 49ers have their work cut out for them if they want to climb back to the top of the NFC West, but a Seahawks loss tonight would be helpful. It would drop the Seahawks to two games up on San Francisco, with next week's matchup looming. If the 49ers could then pull that one out, the 49ers would be a game back with three to play. Seattle closes out the year facing the Giants in New Jersey, and then hosting the Cardinals and Rams.
Whatever happens tonight, next week looms large for Seattle as they would clinch the division with a win over the 49ers. That's reason enough for the 49ers to win, but the 49ers will need the win anyway to keep their lead in the wildcard race. For now, we can just see what the Seahawks and Saints put together tonight in primetime.