How The West Was Blargh.
A deep dive into the division no one wants to win, a look at the last days of Danny Dimes, a Cowboys-Commanders game that was entirely too silly, and Saquon, Saquon, Saquon!!!
In this stuffed-like-a-you-know-what Week 12 edition of NFL Walkthrough …
The Dallas Cowboys stun the Washington Commanders in a silly special teams slopfest.
Bryce Young has an impressive little game before getting Mahomes’d. (Yes, that was a microaggression.) (Yes, so was that.)
The Greek tragedy/failed marriage of the Daniel Jones era ends with a thud.
Saquon Barkley shrugs off a minor injury to rush for 255 yards.
And much more!
But we kick things off by trying to make sense of the highly competitive, unpredictable and utterly appalling NFC West race with a trio of Game Spotlights.
Avenged Fivefold Spotlight: Green Bay Packers 38, San Francisco 49ers 10
What Happened
With Brock Purdy out due to a sore shoulder and Nick Bosa shelved by hip/oblique injuries, the 49ers faced an honest-to-Pete injury crisis, as opposed to the omg one of our many superstars is hurt let’s take to our bedchambers with the vapors injury crisis they created for themselves in September and October.
Would the shorthanded 49ers rise up and play tough, gutsy football in the face of adversity?
The Packers cruised to a 17-0 lead, with Brandon Allen unable to move the 49ers offense while their defense allowed Josh Jacobs to plow through approximately five arm tackles per carry.
The 49ers playmakers pulled themselves together for an impressive drive which George Kittle capped with a three-yard touchdown before halftime. The 49ers defense forced a three-and-out to start the third quarter. But Xavier McKinney intercepted a pass intended for Deebo Samuel and returned it to the 49ers 27-yard line, setting up a Jacobs touchdown. The rout was on from there, with Allen and Christian McCaffrey fumbling in the fourth quarter to help the Packers pad their lead.
What It Means for the Packers
Oh, the poor Packers. They trounced an ostensibly tough foe at home, avenging their 2023 playoff loss, their 2022 playoff loss, their 2019 … gosh, the Packers lose to the 49ers in the playoffs often. They played one of their most complete games of the year, and it came at the right time, as their schedule remains challenging for the next three weeks. But it did not help them much. The Lions cruised to an easy victory to remain in first place in the NFC North. The Vikings gutted out a tough overtime win to remain in second place. The Packers may be the fourth-best team in the NFC right now, but they are stuck in third place.
Of note: Romeo Doubs suffered a concussion, which will likely keep him out of action on Thanksgiving. Jordan Love took care of the football – his lone would-be interception came on a play with offsetting penalties – despite a Bombs Away game plan. And the Packers defense allowed just 44 rushing yards on an afternoon when the 49ers wanted to run the ball to protect Allen.
What It Means for the 49ers
Purdy is expected back next week, though Bosa’s status is less certain. The Cardinals loss keeps the 49ers’ guttering hopes of an NFC West title and playoff berth alive. But watch the 49ers run defense get gashed each week. Watch the offense and special teams negate big plays with penalties (the 49ers have committed 18 penalties in the last two games; a holding foul nullified a Samuel kickoff return touchdown). Watch Kyle Shanahan settle for a field goal trailing 24-7 late in the third quarter. Look at the 49ers’ tiebreaker portfolio: 3-5 in the NFC, with only one win this year against an opponent (the Seahawks) that currently has a winning record. Nothing about the 49ers suggests that they will get their starters back and make a run.
If you have been waiting for three months for the 49ers to flip a switch, your wait ended on Sunday. Unfortunately, they flipped the “off” switch.
What’s Next
The Packers host the Dolphins in the Thanksgiving nightcap, with a visit to Detroit looming in Week 14.
The 49ers visit the Bills next Sunday night to receive their final knockout blow.
NFC Meh Division Showdown Spotlight: Seattle Seahawks 16, Arizona Cardinals 6
What Happened
A grungy also-ran defeated a grimy upstart in a fugly slugfest with much greater playoff implications than it truly deserved.