You play every game on your schedule and take care of business. That’s all you can ask of each team, and that was the case on Sunday. The San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks all took care of business with ease. And then, the Arizona Cardinals followed suit on Monday to make it an even sweep for the NFC West. Now, let’s give out some Week 9 grades on that defeat while we grade the rest of the division on their first half of the season.
San Francisco 49ers
Oct 26, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs for a gain during the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sean Thomas-Imagn Images
Offense – A-
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When a team scores 34 points, it’s difficult to find much fault in what they did on offense. There was a strong commitment to the run game as Christian McCaffrey finished with 106 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. Once again, McCaffrey had a legit role in the passing game, catching five passes for 67 yards and a touchdown. In another start, Mac Jones was quite efficient, completing 19 of 24 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
Defense – A-
Things would look a whole lot different if the Giants didn’t score two fourth-quarter touchdowns. By that point, the game was already in hand, and New York never really had a chance to pose a serious threat. The 49ers limited New York to 179 passing yards, with the only real issue being Jaxson Dart rushing for 56 yards.
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Coaching – A
San Francisco committed to, and stuck with, the running game this week. Mac Jones was set up for success by Kyle Shanahan, and the 49ers have done a great job of managing through their injuries. That’s truly evidenced on the defensive side of the ball as they continue to work through key injuries.
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Overall – A
We are in the results business, and the San Francisco 49ers delivered a clear victory this week. As the 49ers get healthier, they’re in a position of strength, at 6-3, having done more than hold serve. They were able to control the entire game this week while picking up a road victory in an early start.
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) embraces quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) after the two connected for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 19, 2025.
Offense – B+
It was a strong performance for the Arizona Cardinals as they put up 27 points this week. We do need to qualify that it came against the Dallas Cowboys’ defense. However, it’s still 27 points. Jacoby Brissett earned another week under center, throwing for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Marvin Harrison truly showed up with seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Trey McBride added another touchdown. On the ground, Emari Demercado stepped up, gaining 79 yards on 14 carries.
Defense – B+
The Cardinals did a great job of getting to the quarterback this week as they sacked Dak Prescott five times. Holding Prescott to 250 yards when you consider all of his receiving weapons deserves some credit. Dallas did average 5.9 yards per carry, but with Arizona in the lead, they only managed 21 carries.
Coaching – A
The NFL is all about results, and that’s what this grade is about. The Cardinals went into Dallas and emerged with a victory in a game that was never truly in doubt. There were a few moments in which it appeared the Cowboys might come back, but the Cardinals never let that happen. Considering that they did it with their backup quarterback and third-string running back, it’s even more impressive.
Overall – A-
It wasn’t a perfectly played game, and it could have been more comfortable, but the Cardinals did exactly what they needed to do to secure the victory. Yes, the game should have been more in hand than it was, but Arizona had success in all aspects of the game. Both the offense and defense contributed to the victory. I mean, did anyone really have Jacoby Brissett outdueling Dak Prescott?
Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks to pass during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Seahawks defeated the Jaguars 20-12. Credit: © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Offense – A-
With a quarterback rating of 141, Sam Darnold was pretty close to perfect this week. He completed 21 of 24 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns in a dominating effort. Jaxon Smith-Njigba did his usual, eight catches for 129 yards, while Tory Horton stepped up to catch two touchdowns. Seattle averaged just 3.7 yards per carry on 24 carries, and that’s all that kept him from a perfect mark.
Defense – A
Unfortunately for Jayden Daniels, he shouldn’t have been on the field at the end of the game to dislocate his elbow. The Seahawks did allow 157 rushing yards, but it came on 36 carries, and Daniels accounted for 51 of those yards. Seattle allowed just 133 passing yards while picking up four sacks. It’s always a pretty good day when you allow just 10 points.
Coaching – A
The Seahawks traveled east for a primetime game and delivered. It was a resounding victory, and the coaching staff had Seattle ready. We had a well-executed game plan, and the team came ready to play.
Overall – A-
Things could have gone a little better on both sides of the run game, but we are really splitting hairs here. The Washington Commanders were a short-handed opponent, but this game should have been a lot closer than 38-10. It’s hard to find much fault here in a strong victory.
Los Angeles Rams
Conclusion
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Offense – A
The only thing that stopped the Los Angeles Rams from putting up more than 34 points was their defense’s success. Well, that, and the game clock. Matthew Stafford threw for 281 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those went to Davante Adams as he continues to fit right in with the Rams’ offense. It was a relatively quiet game for Puka Nacua, but he’s the only one to blame for raising the bar. The running game was also critical here as both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum had strong afternoons.
Defense – A
With the New Orleans Saints starting a rookie quarterback, the outcome of the game shouldn’t have been a surprise. In fact, things went exactly as they should have. The Saints finished with just 10 points, 167 passing yards, and only 57 rushing yards. Things couldn’t have gone any better here.
Coaching – A
Coming out of their bye week, this was the perfect spot for a letdown for the Los Angeles Rams. Instead, the Rams were ready, willing, and able to take care of business with a resounding victory. It was a truly balanced effort between the passing game and the running game with a game plan that worked. Given what we know of Sean McVay, it’s not exactly surprising.
Overall – A
You have to play every game on your schedule, and the Rams did just that. They took advantage of facing a rookie quarterback as Tyler Shough threw for just 175 yards. The Saints’ running game managed just 57 yards while the Rams’ offense was elite both through the air and on the ground.
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