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Oh how far the NFC West has come. Two seasons ago the NFC West division was the laughing stock of the NFL. ESPN’s Primetime would poke fun at the division by calling it “Westbound and Down,” and rightfully so. In the 2010 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks were crowned division champions with a 7-9 regular season record. It was the first time a division was won by a team with a losing record, quite embarrassing. Times do change though and last season the San Francisco 49ers took the division with a 13-3 regular season record. The Niners got off to a fast start, but the success was downed played because the Niners played in a weak division. As the season progress, it was apparent that the division was not as feeble as some thought it to be. The Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals were playing outstanding football around the mid way point of the season and on. Towards the end of the season the division was not known as “Westbound and Down,” but “Westbound and Up.” As much as I do not want to admit it, the division will continue to improve and the Niners will not find themselves cruising to a division title as they did last season. Here is why. (more…)

St Louis Rams (2-9) vs. San Francisco 49ers (9-2)

Candlestick Park

Kickoff: 1:15 PM PST

Preview: Five things to watch out for in the Rams vs. 49ers game:

Offensive Line and Pass Protection

One of the biggest reasons for the 49ers losing on Thanksgiving was a lack of protection in the passing game.  QB Alex Smith was sacked a season-high nine times and could not get the offense going to score enough touchdowns to pull out the win.  The Ravens defense looked like they were jumping out first before the offensive line moved anticipating the snap count. The 49ers will need to fix this against the Rams if they want a passing game.

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