It now looks like there is a clear favorite to win the NFC West: The San Francisco 49ers. In Week 8, the 49ers were able to rebound off a tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs by going on the road to beat their division rival Los Angeles Rams 31-14. After the game, the 49ers were able to take over as the odds-on favorite to win the NFC West.
49ers Odds to Win NFC West After Week 8
Check out the full odds below, via DraftKings:
49ers -175
Rams +450
Seahawks +450
Cardinals +900
Although Christian McCaffrey made his debut with the 49ers in Week 7, he officially had his welcome party against the Rams on Sunday afternoon. The superstar running back ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, had eight receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown, and threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk. He became the first player since 2015 to pull off the trifecta.
“I can’t even put into words how happy I am,” McCaffrey told Peter King of NBC Sports. “It’s a crazy journey in the NFL. You see this stuff happen and you never think it’ll happen to you. But it has. I’m glad it did.”
The 49ers will now move to 4-4 on the season. And even though they’re looking like the most dangerous team in the NFC West, they still sit behind the surprise Seahawks in the standings.
Despite coming into the year as the heavy underdog to win the division, Seattle continues to stack wins with veteran Geno Smith emerging as a clear Comeback Player of the Year candidate. After defeating the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon, the Seahawks improved to 5-3 on the season.
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when nobody cares who gets the credit,” receiver Tyler Lockett said after the win.
Still, the Seahawks have a much less talented roster than the 49ers, and it would still come as a surprise if they can continue to compete for the remainder of the season. But it’s impossible not to respect the job Pete Carroll has done in Seattle to get a young team to believe in themselves and create an identity.
In Week 9, the 49ers will host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, while the Seahawks will travel to Arizona to take on a Cardinals team that desperately needs a win if they want to salvage their disappointing season.
It’ll be interesting to see how the dynamic in the NFC West continues to evolve in the coming weeks.
