The San Francisco 49ers' bye week is here (at the exact right time and everything!), which means those of us who follow the Niners can enjoy a week of watching football without stressing out.
Or, you could go a different route and dissect the outcomes of each game, with consideration of how they might impact the rest of San Francisco's campaign.
Of course, I'm opting for option No. 2 in order to bring 49ers fans everywhere a guide for how to watch the Week 8 slate with a sense of purpose. The thinking is mostly on how the games will help the Niners' future playoff chances, with a splash of pettiness thrown in from time to time just for fun.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Arizona at Dallas
Normally, the best outcome is for a division opponent to suffer a loss, but seeing as the Cardinals don't appear to be a threat in the NFC West and that they're playing the Cowboys, this first game features a bit of a turn.
Root against Dallas because, as 49ers fans, that is always the right decision. But there are also minor playoff implications here due to the bizarre nature of the NFC East.
Minnesota at Detroit
This one is pretty clear, with the Vikings sitting as the NFL's only remaining undefeated team heading into Week 8.
Root for the Lions to overcome the stingiest defense in the league by points allowed per game to even the NFC playing field for the Niners as they come out of the bye week.
Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams
Man, this must be awkward.
The Chargers, losers of six straight to start the season, really need to get rolling on the season, but not too much that they decide to keep all their players before the trade deadline.
A single win for LAC would be helpful for the 49ers for obvious reasons, pushing their division rivals further away from contention.
Monday, Nov. 2
Chicago at Seattle
This actually a tougher call than it might appear on the surface.
The Bears have looked dangerous since Caleb Williams returned from injury, and sit at 5-2 heading into their Monday Night Football contest against the defending Super Bowl champs. A win would put them just half a game behind the 49ers in the NFC standings.
But, of course, the alternative here is that Seattle wins, allowing them to slink just a game in the win column behind the 49ers, albeit with two more losses (with one additional game played).
The easy answer is always root against your divisional rivals, especially considering the Bears aren't even winning their own division at the moment, making them less of a threat in the playoff race, at least for now.
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