The battle for the NFC West has felt like a two-horse race between the Rams and Seahawks for most of the season.

However, in recent weeks, the San Francisco 49ers have proven to be lurking in the background not just for the playoffs but for the top of the NFC West as well.

And on Thursday night, while they won’t take the field, the 49ers’ postseason hopes could swing dramatically based on what happens when Seattle hosts Los Angeles.

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It may sound strange, but San Francisco will likely be rooting hard for the Seahawks.

A Seattle win would dramatically reshape the NFC playoff picture and put the 49ers in control of their own destiny for both the NFC West crown and the No. 1 overall seed in the conference.

The math is simple but powerful. If the Seahawks beat the Rams on Thursday night, the 49ers would only need to win their remaining games to claim the division and secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

That single result would pry the door open for San Francisco to leapfrog both rivals at the perfect time.

Only four NFC teams currently have double-digit wins: the Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, and Bears.

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In any potential tie with Seattle or Chicago, San Francisco holds the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving them a significant edge if records end up even.

The Rams present the most complicated scenario, but even there, the numbers favor the 49ers if Seattle wins.

If Los Angeles were to lose on Thursday night but win its final two games, it would finish 13–4, the same record San Francisco would post by winning its remaining games.

With the season series split between the Rams and 49ers, the next tiebreaker would be division record.

That’s where San Francisco would come out on top with a 5–1 mark compared to the Rams’ 4–2.

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However, if the Rams win on Thursday night, the path becomes much narrower for the 49ers.

Los Angeles would then control its own fate, needing wins over the Falcons and Cardinals to lock up the top seed.

In that scenario, San Francisco would need the Rams to stumble in Week 18 against Arizona to keep their hopes alive.

So while Thursday Night Football may feature only the Seahawks and Rams on the field, the 49ers will be watching closely.

One Seattle win could turn San Francisco from an afterthought into the team with everything to gain.