NFC West recap: The 49ers are on the doorstep of first place

The 49ers held up their end of the bargain on Sunday night following a Seattle loss in Munich. Seattle heads into their bye week with a half-game lead in the NFC West. A win in Mexico City against the Kyler Murray or Colt McCoy-led Cardinals will put the 49ers in first place. Staying undefeated in the division is imperative to close out the division title. Let’s recap the week in the NFC West.

Seattle Seahawks - 6-4, BYE, vs. Las Vegas, @ Rams

The Buccaneers bottled up Kenneth Walker III while jumping out to a 14-0 halftime lead. Seattle fought back but ultimately fell 21-16. While it seems obvious to turn any offense one-dimensional, this will likely be the best way to slow down the fifth-highest-scoring offense in the NFL. Following the team’s bye week is a matchup with the Raiders, who are a bit of a disaster at the moment. Seattle should get back in the win column.

San Francisco 49ers - 5-4, @ Arizona (Mexico City), vs. Saints, vs. Dolphins

While Sunday’s victory didn’t provide the offensive fireworks expected with the 49ers’ weapons fully healthy, a win is a win. Each win is valuable as the 49ers chase Seattle for first place. Sure, having the offense come out firing from the bye week would have been nice. It seems as if Kyle Shanahan is still figuring out how to utilize all his weapons at the moment. The good news is there is plenty of time to work through that.

The defense was stingy again, allowing 52 total yards in the second half. DeMeco Ryans continues to make great halftime adjustments. Once this offense hits its stride, this team becomes even more dangerous. A positive way to spin this victory is things aren’t always going to go to plan, and good teams find ways to win. Next up are the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City.

Arizona Cardinals - 4-6, vs. 49ers (Mexico City), vs. Chargers, BYE

The Cardinals won the battle of the backups against John Wolford and the Rams. The win keeps the Cardinals’ season on life support for now. A loss on Monday night would be crippling. Will Kyler Murray return? Can the offense gain stability? Can the team overcome the loss of Zach Ertz for the season? Tune in next week on hard knocks to find out.

Los Angeles Rams - 3-6, @ Saints, @ Chiefs, vs. Seattle

Well, this feels like the end for the Rams. The offense scored their second-most points (17) in their last six games with John Wolford. Unfortunately, Cooper Kupp sustained an ankle injury that may sideline him for a few weeks. Kupp’s injury takes away the Rams’ only offensive threat. Matthew Stafford may return next week, but it will be too late. This tweet highlights how the Rams’ season has gone.