Seattle Seahawks 24, Cleveland Browns 20

The NFC West has a new division leader.

Yesterday, the Seattle Seahawks took possession of the NFC West crown with a decisive 24-20 win over the Cleveland Browns.

After blowing a 14-point lead early on, the Seahawks defense came up big with a key stop with 1:57 remaining in the game, as Browns Quarterback P.J. Walker’s pass was deflected by former all-pro Jamal Adams, right into the arms of safety Julian Love. This turned the tide of the game.

Geno Smith orchestrated a beautiful final drive down 3, as he found rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 9 yard touchdown to win the game.

The Seahawks’ defense has steadily improved over the course of the season. After allowing 30, 31, and 27 points in the first three weeks, they have righted the ship and allowed 3, 17, 10, and 20 over the last four weeks.

They held P.J. Walker to 15/31 passing and intercepted him twice, while sacking him 3 times. They allowed 155 rushing yards, but Cleveland also ran the ball 40 times, meaning they held the Browns to 3.9 yards per carry.

Offensively, it wasn’t perfect. Geno Smith had 254 passing yards and 2 touchdowns but also coughed up 2 interceptions. Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet combined for 119 rushing yards on just 13 carries against a very good defense, which is something offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will likely note. Waldron should (and will likely) try to implement the run more.

The Seahawks have a legitimate offense, loaded with talent in the skill positions. Their steadily improving defense, with stars like Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Bobby Wagner, and the returned Jamal Adams make this team a serious threat come playoff time. As of right now, they look like the hottest, and arguably the best team in the NFC West. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the battle for the NFC West be decided late in the season.

UP NEXT:

A showdown with the 6-2 Baltimore Ravens at Baltimore. This will be their toughest test of the season. If Seattle can leave Baltimore with a win, their prospects for winning the NFC West look that much better.

Oh, and they just acquired former Pro-Bowler Leonard Williams from the Giants, who has 39.5 career sacks. The rich get richer, and their momentum is sky high. This team is a serious threat.

Cincinnati Bengals 31, San Francisco 49ers 17

On the other side of the momentum spectrum, the ice-cold and discombobulated San Francisco 49ers limp into their Week 9 bye on a 3-game losing streak, with more questions than answers, and a dark cloud hanging over the team.

The 49ers fell at home this time, getting eviscerated 31-17 in a game where the score was misleading and could’ve been a bigger blowout.

The 49ers started with the ball and went 3 and out, and the Bengals responded with a 9-play, 72-yard masterclass that ended in a Tyler Boyd touchdown from 7 yards out.

From then on, it was the Bengals show.

Their defense was gashed for 400 total yards. Joe Burrow had a career-best 18 straight completions at one point in the game and finished with with only four incompletions.

The 49ers defense also allowed Joe Mixon, who was struggling a little bit coming into this game, to run for 87 yards and a touchdown on 5.4 yards per carry. Not to mention that Joe Burrow also had 43 rushing yards on a calf that looks very healthy now.

Ja’Marr Chase cooked the 49ers secondary for 100 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions. Tee Higgins had 69 yards on 5 receptions, with a lot of chunk plays mixed in. Overall, the 49ers’ defensive unit under DC Steve Wilks again looked lost and disorganized, leaving huge holes in their zone scheme, and getting burnt in man coverage. They sacked Burrow 3 times, but a missed sack is what completely shifted the momentum in the Bengals’ favor, where Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa had a chance to end a Bengals scoring drive, but both missed their tackles which allowed a Bengals first down.

Offensively, the unit has been mired by turnover issues that have taken them out of games. Brock Purdy threw 2 backbreaking interceptions, one in a key red-zone drive that could have put them back in it.

Just awful stuff from the 49ers offense on a day where they outgained the Bengals offense and had two 100-yard receivers in Aiyuk (5/109) and Kittle (9/149). In a game where Purdy’s health was a concern due to a concussion, he hit his head again during the middle stages of the game. It seemed like a poor decision to put him out there, as they rushed him back. Now, they might be without him after the bye unless he proves he is truly healthy by Nov. 12.

The one silver lining that continues to be constant: Christian McCaffrey. He has a touchdown in 17 straight games, tied with Lenny Moore’s record. He was productive on the ground (12/45/1), and as a receiver (6/64/1), and continues to be one of the only reasons the offense remains competitive even in the midst of heavy struggles. They will continue to lean on him for the rest of the way, but Kyle Shanahan also needs to figure out how to get scoring opportunities for other guys and for ways to get defenses not to key in on CMC. They truly miss Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams badly. Luckily, their bye is here.

UP NEXT:

WEEK 9 BYE

The 49ers have a billion questions and no answers. Their “unstoppable” offense has been held to 17 points three straight games, with 5 interceptions from Purdy. Their “vaunted” defensive unit had gotten diced up the past two weeks by Kirk Cousins and Joe Burrow. Play-calling is being questioned on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, with no answer seemingly in sight for them.

They need to figure it out during their much-needed bye week. A trade may be incoming, which should help, but both units need to figure out their issues, look in the mirror, and prioritize fixing these mistakes. Missed tackles, blown coverages, and ill-advised turnovers are not what a Super-Bowl caliber team does.

The game coming off the bye will be make or break. If they right the ship, some confidence will be restored. If they get completely outplayed yet again, many will be out on the 49ers, and rightfully so.

Including me (a 49ers fan).

Dallas Cowboys 43, Los Angeles Rams 20

A Matthew Stafford injury may be the death blow for the resilient Los Angeles Rams.

Stafford left the game in the 3rd quarter on a failed 2-point conversion pass, but by that point, the game was already over.

Dallas had a 33-3 lead at one point in the first half, but Stafford led scoring drives before the half and after to cut the deficit to a more manageable 33-17. However, once backup quarterback Brett Rypien entered, the offense stagnated and only scored 3 more points.

Cooper Kupp and breakout phenom Puka Nacua combined for a disappointing 7 catches for 64 yards. The Dallas secondary, which has been heavily injured and on reserve DBs, held Stafford to 162 yards before his depature and CB DaRon Bland picked him off for a pick-six on an extremely poor throw and decision by Stafford.

The Rams’ defense, which had been a heavily-questioned unit coming into the season because of lack of talent, was no match for star Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb (12/158/2). Dak Prescott only had 6 incompletions all day, and threw 4 touchdowns. Safety Jordan Fuller had LA’s lone interception, a red-zone pick, which came on a bad-ball from Prescott, but one that his receiver tipped high into the air.

The Rams were looked at as a sneaky contender after their decisive week 1 win against the Seattle Seahawks, but since then they have faltered to a 2-5 record. Many of their losses were close games, and they looked to be a competitive team that at least had a shot at sneaking into the playoffs as the 7-seed. Their schedule is not incredibly difficult, with winnable matchups such as @ Cardinals , vs. Cleveland, vs. Commanders, vs. Saints, and vs. NYG around 2 tough matchups: vs. Seahawks and @ Ravens.

However, without their Super Bowl Winning Quarterback under center, the Rams’ season outlook becomes a little more bleak.

UP NEXT

The Rams travel to Green Bay in Week 9 to face a struggling Packers team that has not produced more than 20 points offensively since Week 2 at Atlanta. This is a good get-right game for Raheem Morris’s defensive unit and an opportunity to gain a game in the NFC West standings with the 49ers on a bye.

Matthew Stafford’s x-rays on his thumb were negative, meaning there are no fractures. He could miss some time, but it sounds like his absence will not be extended. Brett Rypien seems slated to be the starter, but LA will have to figure out who will fill the backup and 3rd quarterback roles behind him, as Stetson Bennett remains on the non-football/illness list. Perhaps a veteran may get a call, such as Carson Wentz? Maybe a trade for a veteran, such as Jacoby Brissett?

Either way, the Rams have some questions entering their Week 9 matchup. But if they can secure a win, and move to 4-5, they may be able to overtake Minnesota’s spot at the number 7 seed, especially since they will be without Kirk Cousins for the rest of the season.

Baltimore Ravens 31, Arizona Cardinals 24

The NFL has a serious officiating problem. Look at the Referee blatantly moving the ball backward behind the marker. That kind of stuff cannot happen.

Now, that’s not to say the Cardinals deserved to win. They didn’t. Josh Dobbs threw 2 interceptions and was sacked twice, and their red zone defense allowed 3 Gus Edwards rushing touchdowns.

However, the Cardinals continue to be surprisingly competitive under Head Coach Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals’ defense limited Baltimore’s high-powered offense to 268 total yards, and sacked ultra-elusive QB Lamar Jackson 4 times. They only allowed Baltimore to convert 4-11 3rd downs, and even forced a fumble (that Baltimore recovered). Lamar Jackson was held to 157 yards through the air and only 17 yards on the ground, as the Arizona defense did a mighty fine job of containing him.

However, this team has serious red-zone defense issues. Their run defense is especially bad in the red-zone, as, like I said, Gus Edwards bullied them for 3 touchdowns on the ground.

This is a gutsy team though. The Cardinals never let themselves fall out of the game, and Josh Dobbs, even with some bad decisions, continued to help put the Cardinals in positions to score. They even had some luck on their side, as Nelson Agholor (who else?) dropped an onside kick, which gave the Cardinals the ball back and allowed them to bring it within one score.

Ultimately, it was too late.

The Cardinals’ offense looked pretty capable against a good Baltimore defense. Josh Dobbs threw a pair of bad interceptions but also had 2 touchdown passes, one of which was an impressive brute force effort by tight end Trey McBride (10/95/1) and his teammates.

Their rushing game looked capable without James Conner, as undrafted back Emari Demercado took hold of the lead role and rushed for 78 yards on 20 carries. Overall, this team, although not as talented as others, plays solid football and seems to have a good leader in Gannon.

UP NEXT:

A road date with the Cleveland Browns. Revenge game for Josh Dobbs?

The Browns have one of, if not the best defenses in the league, so this is a somewhat brutal matchup for Arizona. Their offensive line is not amazing, so Myles Garrett could have a big day. But with a competent offense and a good defensive director in Jonathan Gannon, they may be able to stay in this game still. They’re playing for draft position, not the playoffs, so the 1-7 record is not a world-ender.

NFC West Standings:

1) Seattle Seahawks (5-2)

2) San Francisco 49ers (5-3)

3) Los Angeles Rams (3-5)

4) Arizona Cardinals (1-7)