It shouldn't surprise anyone the 49ers are playing meaningful December football. They were seen as potential Super Bowl contenders in the preseason and currently sit atop the NFC West despite facing a ton of injury adversity at the quarterback position-- Trey Lance was sidelined for the season after an ankle injury in Week 2 against the Seahawks while Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury that will keep him out until at least the beginning of the playoffs.
What is surprising, however, is they're playing the Seahawks on Thursday in what could be a game that swings the NFC West. The 49ers are 9-4 on the season, whereas the Seahawks are 7-6 and half a game out of the NFC wild card playoffs.
Add to that the 49ers are currently starting a banged up seventh-round rookie in Brock Purdy, who suffered an oblique injury in his sensational first start against the Bucs in Week 14. Deebo Samuel is out for two to three weeks, as well, meaning the Seahawks have reason to be optimistic heading into this game.
The Rams and Cardinals, for their part, are all but eliminated from running in the NFC West. Arizona is clinging to life now without its QB Kyler Murray, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury while LA is keeping things interesting by bringing in Baker Mayfield to assume QB duties with Matthew Stafford out.
So it's a two-team race in the division. Here's what to know from the outcomes of Thursday's game, and what they mean for the teams involved in the NFC West.
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What a 49ers win means for the NFC West
If the 49ers win Thursday, the outcome is simple: They clinch the NFC West in Seattle for the second time in the past four years.
They would move to 10-4 on the season, whereas the Seahawks would go to 7-7. That would also put their wild card hopes in jeopardy, as it would keep them below the Giants and Commanders in the wild card race regardless of Sunday night's outcome.
The less tangible result would be that Purdy would move to 2-0 as a starter, and optimism would be running wild in San Francisco.
As another aside, it would be the earliest the 49ers have clinched the NFC West in 2011, when they lost in the NFC Championship to the Giants.
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What a Seahawks win means for the NFC West
If the Seahawks win, things get a bit more interesting.
They would go to 8-6 on the year, and unless another tie happens between the Giants and Commanders Sunday, they would get in the playoffs after the result of that game.
With the Seahawks at 8-6 and the 49ers at 9-5, they would be a game back of the 49ers in the NFC West. The 49ers would be 4-1 in the division in the event of a loss, whereas the Seahawks would be 4-1.
After Thursday's game, if both teams end up tied in the division at the end of the season, the 49ers currently hold the tiebreaker.
The Seahawks, however, would have a path to the postseason regardless, whether it be through a divisional win or a wild card berth. Given what the expectations were in the preseason, it's hard to argue against that being impressive.
In the end, winning the division will be an uphill battle for the Seahawks. But a win at least gives them a chance. With the 49ers playing shorthanded down the stretch, that chance could be the opportunity they need.
