The NFC West went 3-1 in Week 6 and was a reflection of the direction of all four teams. The San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals won and appear to be all trending upward during the season. The Rams lost and appear to be heading in the wrong direction.
Here is what the division now looks like after six weeks.
- San Francisco 49ers: 5-0
- Seattle Seahawks: 5-1
- Los Angeles Rams: 3-3
- Arizona Cardinals: 2-3-1
The 49ers remained undefeated by defeating the Los Angeles Rams 20-7. The San Francisco defense dominated a Rams offense that was without Todd Gurley. The Niners sacked Jared Goff four times and held L.A. to a paltry 157 total yards offense. Goff only had 78 passing yards.
The Seahawks played another close game and won, defeating the Cleveland Browns 32-28 on the road. They fell behind 20-6, rallied to take a 25-20 lead, saw the Browns respond and retake a 28-25 lead, but then Russell Wilson led a nine-play drive leading to a Chris Carson touchdown run to go ahead 32-28. The defense then picked off Bake Mayfield for the third time to seal the game.
Wilson threw two more touchdown passes and Carson rushed for 124 yards and a score.
The Cardinals won their second straight game, a 34-33 thriller over the Atlanta Falcons. They built a 17-point lead in the second half, only to see the Falcons come back and nearly tie the game. However, 44-year-old kicker Matt Bryant missed the PAT and the Cardinals ran out the clock.
The Rams lost to the 49ers for their third straight loss and second loss in the division, but they also suffered injury losses. Starting guard Brian Noteboom tore his ACL and MCL. His season is done. Cornerback Aqib Talib has broken ribs and will go on injured reserve. Safety Josh Johnson has an injury, too.
What is next for the NFC West in Week 7? The Rams will travel to Atlanta to play a reeling Falcons team that is 1-5 and plays terrible defense. The Cardinals have a chance to improve to 3-3-1 with a road game against the 2-4 New York Giants. Patrick Peterson returns from suspension. The 49ers travel on the road to play the 1-5 Washington Redskins, while the Seahawks host the 4-2 Baltimore Ravens.
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