The San Francisco 49ers are often swimming against the current when it comes to competing for the NFC West title. It's the toughest division in football, headlined by three Super Bowl contenders and some of the best coaches in the league.
But they might have just been given an opportunity to separate themselves from the pack.
The Los Angeles Rams have released their official schedule for the 2026 season, and it features a grueling stretch late in the year.
There's a clear opportunity in front of the Niners. Take advantage of the Rams' potential struggles, and the NFC West title could be theirs.
Rams late-season schedule gives 49ers golden opportunity to win NFC West
Before their bye week in Week 11, the Rams face a relatively light schedule. They get two games against the Arizona Cardinals and favorable matchups against teams like the New York Giants, the Washington Commanders, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
But after their break, the slate gets much more daunting. They'll play the Green Bay Packers, the Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Seattle Seahawks in consecutive weeks. Then, they get a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before finishing the season by hosting the Seahawks. It's a brutal seven-game stretch that could threaten to derail their season.
That's San Francisco's opportunity to strike.
The Niners don't have an easy road at the end of the season, by any means. They play contenders like the Chiefs, the Rams, and the Seahawks during that stretch. But they also have a few games in which they should be favored. They play the Cardinals, the Giants, and the Minnesota Vikings within the last eight weeks of the campaign.
Could Los Angeles take a few losses during the final stretch? Fans in San Francisco will be hoping so. The Rams have one of the most talented rosters in the league, so any chance to make up some ground on them will be more than welcome. It may take 13 or more wins to take the top spot in the NFC West this season, so every game counts.
Every NFL season involves a fair bit of luck. Bad injury luck has derailed a few years in which the 49ers expected to be contenders. Over the last decade, San Francisco has been on the wrong side of luck more often than not.
Now, it seems like things might just be swinging their way.
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