The Niners will get to watch everyone else in the NFC move up or down in the standings before their Monday Night Football battle with the Panthers.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan | Norm Hall/GettyImages
After an abysmal 42-26 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10, the San Francisco 49ers bounced back nicely this past Sunday with Brock Purdy finally back under center, [cruising to an easy 41-22 victory](https://ninernoise.com/49ers-offense-proved-carry-defense-now-big-win-cardinals) over the Arizona Cardinals.
With the win, combined with the Detroit Lions' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on _Sunday Night Football_, the Niners, who had actually been knocked out of the top seven in the NFC standings for the first time all season after their loss to the Rams, now find themselves holding the final Wild Card slot heading into Week 12.
And San Francisco is certainly still very much alive in the NFC West race.
By our count, there are still 11 teams with at least some kind of chance to earn a trip to the postseason. And here's a quick look at where those 11 stand heading into Week 12:
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2, 1st NFC East)
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-2, 1st NFC West)
3. Chicago Bears (7-3, 1st NFC North)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4, 1st NFC South)
5. Seattle Seahawks (7-3, 2nd NFC West)
6. Green Bay Packers (6-3-1, 2nd NFC North)
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4, 3rd NFC West)
8. Detroit Lions (6-4, 3rd NFC North)
9. Carolina Panthers (6-5, 2nd NFC South)
10. Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1, 2nd NFC East)
11. Minnesota Vikings (4-6, 4th NFC North)
As you can see, things are tight everywhere for the Niners, both within the division and in the Wild Card race. So, naturally, every win down the stretch will be crucial, starting with this Monday night's matchup with the Carolina Panthers, who currently sit just a game back of San Francisco in the overall standings at 6-5.
But in addition to taking care of their own business, the Niners can obviously benefit from some other outcomes on the Week 12 schedule.
So, let's have a look at who Kyle Shanahan & Co. should be rooting for while they kick back and watch things play out on Sunday.
### Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears
The Niners may end up battling the Bears for seeding in the top four if both end up winning their respective divisions or in the Wild Card race, so they'll obviously be rooting for the Steelers here. Of course, a head-to-head tiebreaker between the two clubs could come into play, which will be decided when San Francisco hosts Chicago in Week 17.
### New York Giants at Detroit Lions
As the Lions sit directly behind the 49ers in the standings, San Francisco will clearly be rooting for the Giants to pull off an upset here, however unlikely that may be. That said, New York did give Green Bay a game this past week, and Detroit didn't look great against Philadelphia. But Niners fans shouldn't hold their breath hoping for too much in this one.
### Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings aren't in great shape right now, but the 49ers should be hoping for another upset here, as a Green Bay loss and a San Francisco win vaults the Niners past the Packers in the standings. The Packers haven't looked their best in recent weeks, but they're still the better overall team in this rivalry matchup.
### Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans
Yep, the Niners have to hope for yet another upset in this one, as the Seahawks, who currently sit a half-game ahead of San Francisco in the standings, travel to Tennessee to take on the one-win Titans.
Sorry, Niner Nation, Seattle isn't losing this one.
### Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
While the Cowboys are hanging on to their postseason hopes by a thread, they need a lot of things to go their way over the next seven weeks, starting with a win over the Eagles. But while 49ers fans would certainly enjoy Dallas getting completely knocked out of the race with a loss here, they should actually be rooting for America's Team in this matchup, as San Francisco may end up battling Philly for seeding among the top four.
### Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams
No-brainer here. Go Bucs!