There are so many storylines revolving around the San Francisco 49ers visit to Lucas Oil Stadium where they meet the Indianapolis Colts tonight it is a tough decision to decide where to begin. Before getting into the details, let me just point out that we have a quarterback starting for the Colts tonight that retired nearly five years ago, was closing in on eligibility for Hall of Fame induction, and has now restarted that five year waiting period.
That wouldn’t be such a big story if Philip Rivers hadn’t looked good in his return debut last week and almost knocked off one of the two teams the 49ers are chasing in the NFC West Division. Rivers led the Colts, double-digit underdogs last Sunday, to a lead with only seconds on the clock before Sam Darnold led a late drive that provided the home team a chance to win with a sixth field goal, which they converted in an 18-16 win over old man Rivers.
Rivers playing tonight would be a huge story, but this game has a bigger one.
Talk in the football world this season has focused on a couple teams as the best in football, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. These two powers play out of the NFC West and with the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles down a notch from their 2024 play and the team that had the best record in the conference last year, the Detroit Lions, in danger of missing this season’s playoffs, the talk around town was that either the Rams or Seahawks were the best NFC, and maybe NFL, team.
Yet, with the Seahawks narrow win over the Rams last Thursday night, the door was opened that if the 49ers win their final three games they move into the number one seed in the conference. If they do that, wouldn’t they have to be considered the best team in the NFC and maybe, just maybe, the NFL?
The 49ers three game sprint to the number one seed needs to start with a victory tonight when they take on Indianapolis with their quarterback that is closing in on receiving social security checks. If they survive tonight’s road encounter, the 49ers next two needed victories will be at Levi’s Stadium against the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks.