There’s nothing like going into a bye week with a victory - especially over a division rival. Kyle Shanahan was all of us after the eighth straight regular season win over the Rams.
“Going into the bye week 3-5 makes it a lot more depressing of a bye week. I’m very well aware of the record and 4-4 is one game better, but it feels a hell of a lot better than 3-5.
But you’ve got to be prepared for that either way. Regardless of whether we’re 4-4, I’ve been 5-0 and haven’t made the playoffs, and I’ve been 3-6 before and made it, been 3-5 and made it. So none of that stuff I try to get too caught up in. It’s about getting better throughout injuries throughout the year.
I feel there’s a couple things we’ve done in the last few weeks where I feel that’s going in the right direction. Offensively we’ve had to overcome some injuries on defense. To get this win right now, get into the bye, those guys have earned it.
Hopefully they can get healthier, get some guys back. We’ve definitely put ourselves in a better position to come back and try to make a run at this.”
Sometimes, one game can make all the difference. The 49ers saw this last year after the first victory against Sean McVay’s bunch, and we may have just seen it again.
A loss would have meant going 3-5 for the second straight year, would have bolstered the Rams’ hopes of winning the division, and would have sent alarm bells throughout the organization. “Damn, we can’t even beat the Rams? We always beat the Rams.”
Now, the 49ers go into the bye week with a perfect 3-0 record in the NFC West, a 4-2 record in the NFC, and in a great position to be one of the top four seeds in the playoffs. If the offense can resemble anything close to the group we saw score 21 unanswered second half points going forward, we know which game to point to that helped it all happen.
Hear more about this and other stories in today’s 49ers in Five podcast. Our five minute daily update gives you the latest news, best audio clips, and everything else you need to know about the team. Subscribe to the Niners Nation Podcast Network today so you don’t miss an episode!
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