After 49ers lose, Seahawks can take NFC West lead with win over Vikings

It’s a good time to be the Seattle Seahawks.

Jim Moore Predicts: Seattle will handle 8-3 Vikings in MNF rematch

The Seahawks are 9-2 entering their Monday night matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, having won four straight games and seven of their last eight. One of those four straight wins was a 27-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, handing the Niners their first loss of the year in Week 10, which meant that if San Francisco lost again before Seattle did, the Seahawks would have a chance to move into first place in the NFC West.

That second San Francisco loss came on Sunday.

The 49ers fell 20-17 to Baltimore on a game-ending field goal, allowing the Ravens to join them as one of four teams in the NFL tied for a league-best record of 10-2. And wouldn’t you know it, the Seahawks could become the fifth on Monday.

If you’re into comparing common opponents, the Ravens game was San Francisco’s first chance to beat a team that Seattle has lost to, as the Seahawks’ one defeat in their last eight games was also to Baltimore, a 30-16 decision at CenturyLink Field in Week 7.

While the Seahawks would take over the lead of the NFC West with a win over the 8-3 Vikings, they still would have some work to do to earn the top seed in the NFC. In fact, if they don’t beat the Vikings, not only would they stay a game behind the 49ers for the NFC West lead, but they would be in the sixth and final seed to the playoffs out of the conference. If that’s where they finished the season, they would get no first-round bye and no home-field advantage in the postseason. And even if the Seahawks beat Minnesota, they will not have the tiebreaker over the New Orleans Saints, the NFC’s other current 10-2 team, for the top spot in the conference. The Saints beat the Seahawks 33-27 in Week 3 and won for the ninth time in their last 10 games by defeating the Atlanta Falcons 26-18 on Thanksgiving night.

By the way, who is the 49ers’ next opponent? Oh, the New Orleans Saints.

Like I said, it’s a good time to be the Seattle Seahawks. As long as they beat the Vikings.

Here is info on how to listen to the Seahawks’ Monday night game against Minnesota:

Seahawks (9-2) vs. Vikings (8-3)

Time: 5:15 p.m. Monday
Radio: 710 ESPN Seattle, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM
Pregame show start: 2 p.m.
Announcers: Steve Raible and Dave Wyman
How to listen online: Mobile streaming exclusive to the Seahawks app; computer streaming at 710Sports.com
Online stream restrictions: Limited to a 75-miles radius of Seattle due to NFL rules

More Hawks coverage

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• Hawks to wear Action Green — with a twist — on Monday Night Football
• The 6: Seahawks’ unlikely heroes and a real championship opportunity
• Shaquill Griffin happy to see brother Shaquem ‘do what does’
• Wyman: Quandre Diggs already important to the defense
• Clayton: Seattle has new standouts to sort through

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