"They came with high spirits and left in defeat."
This phrase perfectly describes the Week 16 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks, who had been in excellent form for the past three games, came into this game with a desire for revenge. They set up a formidable defense at home, waiting for the 49ers. All expectations had climbed to a new high, but both the game's course and its outcome were shocking.
The game seemed intense, but in reality, any knowledgeable fan could see that the Seahawks never stood a chance. From the very first drive, they were playing from behind and were completely suffocated, unable to catch their breath.
Their best performance wasn't in their first drive, but in the closing stage of the fourth quarter with a touchdown and a field goal. Their offense showed incredible grit, but... for the 49ers, it was just garbage time. The contrast is both absurd and undeniable.
The final score was even more lopsided than in Week 1!
The Seahawks, despite all the anticipation, were a letdown. But on the other hand, it highlighted the 49ers' unstoppable rise. From the offense to the defense and even the special teams, this young team, seemingly without any superstars, was performing at an elite level.
With only one week left in the regular season, the playoffs are just around the corner, where we will see one thrilling showdown after another. Surprisingly, the team everyone is most excited about right now is the San Francisco 49ers. Everyone is curious to see how far this dark horse can go and how much noise they can make.
Interestingly, the race for the NFC's second seed has intensified.
This week, following the 49ers' victory, the New Orleans Saints also won. By defeating their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, at home, they clinched the division title. At the same time, Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record.
However, there's still another contender for that record: Tom Brady.
Brady, who is known for his short-passing game, doesn't use the long ball often, so the passing yardage record was never really his focus. But this season, with his old rival Peyton Manning out with an injury, Brady seems to have no one left to challenge him in the AFC. He has unleashed an incredible desire to pass, going all out and creating a storm.
Brady's passing yards are now on the verge of five thousand. It is almost a sure thing that he will surpass Marino's record in the final week. He is also less than a hundred yards behind Brees's current yardage. So, who will ultimately claim the new passing record is one of the main highlights of the last game of the season.
Returning to the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints.
With the Green Bay Packers defeating the Chicago Bears this week, their record is now 14-1, and they have secured the number one seed in the NFC. The NFC playoff picture has become much clearer.
The 49ers and Saints, both with records of 12-3, have secured the second and third seeds in the NFC a week early. But because their records are the same, the final week will decide whether they get the second or third seed.
Currently, both teams have identical records in their respective division games. Thanks to an advantage in their conference games, the 49ers temporarily hold the second seed and the first-round playoff bye. If the 49ers want to keep this advantage, winning their last game is the most effective way. A loss would create many different possibilities.
So, the last week of the regular season is full of exciting storylines, and no one wants to miss it!
After Christmas, time seemed to speed up. The remaining days of 2011 flew by, and before anyone knew it, the first rays of morning light in 2012 shone upon North America. The NFL welcomed its first game day of the new year on New Year's Day.
This year, January 1st just happened to fall on a Sunday.
The San Francisco 49ers are traveling to play the St. Louis Rams for their final game of the season. They are fighting for home-field advantage and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Let's turn the clock back for a moment.
In Week 13 of the regular season, the 49ers, fresh off a two-game losing streak, hosted the Rams. In that game, the entire team went all out and successfully shut out their opponents at Candlestick Park. The offense, defense, and special teams all played well, showing a strong sense of unity and confidence. This set the stage for their subsequent victories against the Cardinals and Steelers.
Now, in Week 17, the 49ers, with a four-game winning streak, are on the road to challenge the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, hoping to end the season with a win. The Rams, though long eliminated from the playoffs, have a dismal record of 2-13. They are also hoping to end the season with a victory.
Before the game, all the experts in the industry agreed, casting their votes for the 49ers. They believed that the more skilled young team would easily win. Nine of the ten analysts from "Inside the League" chose the 49ers.
The only exception was Charles Davis.
Despite being a familiar face, Charles's attitude was different this time.
In his analysis, Charles candidly admitted that the 49ers were the clear favorites to win and that the Rams posed little threat.
This season, the Rams' performance has been disappointing. In their last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they suffered their second shutout loss of the season, a truly embarrassing performance. More frighteningly, throughout the entire season, they have had only two games with a score difference of three points or less: one win and one loss. In other words, the Rams' overall strength has been far from that of their opponents.
Against the red-hot 49ers, the Rams would likely struggle to make an impact this week. Even though Charles had his own frustrations, he couldn't deny the facts.
However, Charles then emphasized that the real variable was the 49ers themselves.
Last week, in the fourth quarter, several starters, including Lu Ke, were rested. It was clear that Jim Harbaugh was preparing for the playoffs. So, the question is whether the 49ers are willing to go all out and risk injury for a playoff home-field advantage.
Furthermore, since the Rams are not a strong opponent, the 49ers might not need to give it their all. Even with a rotated lineup, Harbaugh would still be confident in a victory.
So, if the 49ers chose to play with a backup lineup, the Rams would have an opportunity.
The Rams' four most exciting games this season were: a 13-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns, and a shocking 31-21 upset over the New Orleans Saints. These were their only two wins of the season.
Their other two exciting matchups were both against the Arizona Cardinals.
Their road game went into overtime, where they lost 13-19 on a game-winning play. The home game was a fierce battle, ending with a 20-23 final score, a heartbreakingly close loss. These were some of the Rams' best games of the season.
In other words, no one should forget that the St. Louis Rams are a team with countless variables when it comes to division games. Whenever they face a division rival, they play with a renewed fire. They were shut out by the 49ers last time, so it's very possible that the Rams will rise up and take back control of the game this time.
Considering all this, Charles concluded that he would vote for the Rams because, "Everyone is choosing San Francisco, which seems like the obvious outcome. I'm just making a different choice to add some color to the game."
But even Charles couldn't deny that on paper, the 49ers were still the favored team.
In fact, not only the analysts but also the league's officials and fans agreed. The massive difference in talent made the game less exciting. Everyone was confident that the 49ers would win easily, and the possibility of an upset was very slim.
For the first time this season, the San Francisco 49ers were seen as the clear favorites, with the look of a strong team that would effortlessly secure a victory.
In the final week of the regular season, other games were full of drama. The fight for playoff spots was in full swing. Leaving other divisions aside, just the other game in the NFC West was more exciting to watch.
The Seahawks and Cardinals, two teams that were still hoping for a playoff spot, both lost in the previous week. Their records were both 7-8, officially eliminating them from the playoffs. But the final game of the season was still very important for both teams.
Besides the division rivalry, they still had to play for next season.
The outcome of this game would not only affect their draft position but also the team's appeal to new players and their planning for the next season. They should be starting their preparations now. After all, the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and the AFC's San Diego Chargers also have 7-8 records.
The competition is fierce.
In comparison, the "49ers vs. Rams" game lacked suspense and excitement.
However, when the game actually started, it was both expected and unexpected at the same time.
🗒️NOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 30 chapters in advance!