The San Francisco 49ers' Week 12 home showdown against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football isn't what one might call a must-win game (anything but). However, it does carry huge implications for a Niners team still very much in the thick of the NFC West race.
At 7-4, and despite the Los Angeles Rams beating the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, San Francisco is still in third place within the division and holding onto the No. 7 seed in the greater NFC playoff picture. With a 4-1 record within the NFC West, the 49ers currently hold some important tiebreakers over their divisional foes.
But, the Niners would actually have to at least tie one or both of their rivals currently above them in the standings for that to happen.
At 8-2, LA's hold on the division is precarious, especially with the 7-3 Hawks a game behind it in the standings. San Francisco, yet to have its bye week, will face Seattle in the regular-season finale; a bout that could determine a lot in terms of both division and conference standings.
However, a Week 12 loss at home to the Panthers would ultimately be disastrous for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co.
49ers face (almost) must-win scenario on Monday night vs. Panthers
With the Niners' matchup versus Carolina taking place on Monday night, Shanahan's squad will already know the outcomes of both the Rams and Seahawks' respective games from the previous Sunday.
Needless to say, it'd be rather shocking if either NFC West rival lost its affair.
Seattle visits the lowly one-win Tennessee Titans, and it's nearly impossible to forecast a Titans victory outside of using a cliché like "any given Sunday," which rarely works in such mismatches.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles hosting the suddenly scuffling Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losers of two in a row and three out of four, on Sunday Night Football appears to be in full favor of head coach Sean McVay's hold on the division.
Barring some crazy upset(s), it's impossible to see either the Rams or Hawks tacking on another number to their loss columns, meaning San Francisco must take full advantage of the Panthers to ensure it doesn't lose ground in a hotly contested NFC West race.
Otherwise, a 7-5 Niners team would likely surrender any realistic chance of recapturing the division lead and would be forced into a desperate fight for a Wild Card spot over the final weeks.