Sam Darnold and Eric Saubert, former 49ers backups, heroically preserved a path to the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the Niners. And for the Seattle Seahawks.
Darnold ripped a game-winning, two-point conversion pass to Saubert in overtime Thursday night for a 38-37 Seahawks triumph over the Los Angeles Rams in Seattle.
“Niner legend Eric Saubert for the W!!!” tight end George Kittle posted on the social-media platform X about his 2024 backup on the 49ers.
The NFC West standings: Seahawks 12-3, Rams 11-4, 49ers 10-4, Cardinals 3-11.
The 49ers can leapfrog those top two teams by winning their final three games and nabbing the NFC’s No. 1 seed, which coach Kyle Shanahan’s 2019 and ’23 teams parlayed into Super Bowl berths.
That top seed, thus, should be at stake when the Seahawks close the regular season at Levi’s Stadium against the 49ers, who play Monday night at former AFC frontrunner Indianapolis (8-6).
“Just watch those San Francisco 49ers at the end of the season,” former Seahawks and 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said on Amazon Prime Video’s postgame show. “If they handle business and the Seahawks handle business, that game in Santa Clara at Levi’s Stadium will be the game of the year and determine the (No.) 1 seed. That’s how crazy this season has been.”
Levi’s Stadium also hosts the endgame to this season, Super Bowl LX. The 49ers improbably have a better shot today at reaching that Feb. 8 title bout, thanks to the Rams blowing a 30-14 fourth-quarter cushion and a 37-30 overtime lead in Seattle.
After Monday night’s cameo against the Colts, the 49ers host NFC North-leader Chicago (10-4) on Sunday night Dec. 28. Then comes the Week 18 encounter with the Seahawks that could mirror the ramifications of their 2019 finale, won by the Super Bowl-bound 49ers in Seattle.
“The whole team is more just focused on, ‘Hey, how do we beat the Colts?’ And then whatever happens after that happens after that,” Kittle said before Thursday’s practice. “… It’s fun to play football that means something.”
The 49ers currently are in the NFC’s No. 6 seed, behind the Rams and ahead of the Green Bay Packers (9-4-1).
The NFL’s NextGen Stats gives the Seahawks a 52% shot at the No. 1 seed, having clinched a playoff spot with Thursday night’s win. They’ll next visit the NFC South-contending Carolina Panthers (7-7) before the Week 18 coronation at Levi’s Stadium.
The Rams’ only loss in their previous nine games was to those Panthers. Los Angeles’ odds at the No. 1 seed fell to 21%, and it closes the regular season at the Atlanta Falcons (5-9) and against the Cardinals (3-11).
Of the 49ers’ eight Super Bowl appearances, they were the No. 1 seed in all but the 1988 and 2012 seasons, winning the NFC crown those years respectively at top-seeded Chicago and Atlanta. Since the 2022 season, only the No. 1 seed gets a wild-card bye, making it more valuable than ever.
Darnold was the 49ers’ backup to Brock Purdy two years ago as that top-seeded squad reached the Super Bowl (and lost in overtime to the Chiefs). Saubert came the following season, totaling just 11 catches, one of which went for a touchdown last Dec. 22 at Miami.
With Thursday night’s game and, conceivably, this season on the line, Darnold rocked the Rams by finding Saubert, who had no other catches Thursday and came off Injured Reserve last Saturday.
Seattle coach Mike Macdonald tossed Saubert a ceremonial game ball in the locker room, and Saubert responded (via Prime Video’s broadcast): “Real talk, guys: I’ve been so many places. It’s been such a long journey for me, man. To come to a place that embraced me like you guys have, I love you guys. Keep on rolling.”
It’s no secret what outcome the 49ers favored going into Thursday night’s game.
“Today we’re rooting for the Seahawks. So, go Seahawks,” cornerback Deommodore Lenoir told Will Gavin of UK-based TalkSport.
“Just to be clear, you’re not rooting for the Seahawks, but rooting for Rams loss?” Gavin interjected. “Feels better that way.”
“Yeah,” Lenoir said, “a Rams loss.”
A Rams win seemed imminent once Matthew Stafford’s third touchdown pass put them ahead with 6 ½ minutes left in overtime, once Puka Nacua went untouched on a 41-yard catch-and-run.
Back in the third quarter, Amazon Prime Video announcer Al Michaels aptly framed the NFC playoff picture by stating, “Do you want to know something crazy? The winner of this game has the path (to the No. 1 seed) if they win out. Do you realize the 49ers, if the Rams lose tonight, the 49ers could wind up 13-4, these teams could wind up 13-4, and the tiebreak would go to San Francisco,” Michaels continued. “… Wouldn’t that be crazy?”
Well, Al, the 49ers Faithful believes in miracles. So does Seattle’s 12th Man after Thursday night’s finish.