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49ers have humbled the once-formidable NFC West

By Russell S. Baxter

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field on December 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field on December 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Getty Images) /
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The team with the longest current winning streak in the NFL has won a division title. The San Francisco 49ers have overwhelmed the rest of the NFC West.

It was far from a blowout but in many ways, extremely decisive. On Thursday night in the Pacific Northwest, the San Francisco 49ers not only won their seventh consecutive game but an NFC West title for the first time since 2019. The club’s 21-13 triumph at Seattle raised the Niners’ record to 5-0 within the division this season and completed their first sweep of the Seahawks since 2011.

Kyle Shanahan’s club is certainly on a roll as those seven consecutive wins have come by a combined 193-77 score. Also consider how dominant within a division that a year ago sent three teams to the playoffs, with the Los Angeles Rams winning Super Bowl LVI. San Francisco’s five divisional victories have been by a score of 141-53.

The Niners have held each of those opponents to 14 or fewer points. Four of those five wins have been by 15-plus points. And quarterbacks Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Brock Purdy have all taken their turn.

Coordinator DeMeco Ryan’s unit has limited rival Rams, Seahawks, and Cardinals to a combined four offensive touchdowns in five outings. Arizona managed 314 total yards in its 38-10 Monday night loss at Mexico City. As for Los Angeles and Seattle, neither club could amass at least 300 yards of total offense in any of their two meetings vs. Nick Bosa (7.5 sacks in the 5 divisional wins) and company.

In 2021, the team came up one victory short of a second Super Bowl appearance in four years. With three games to go in 2022, Shanahan’s club closes with a visit from the Commanders, a clash with the Raiders in Las Vegas, and a rematch with the Cardinals. The team owns a 10-4 record, already equaling the Niners’ regular-season win total from a year ago. Now that the NFC West is theirs, just how far will these physical 49ers go this season?