The 49ers are lurking, and that’s probably how they like it

Week 16 begins with a bang. But there's a slow burn that can't be ignored.The 11-3 Rams will visit the 11-3 Seahawks on Thursday night. It's a massive game, featuring two of the best teams in the league. The winner assumes the driver's seat in the NFC West, with an inside track to the No. 1 seed and the lone bye that comes with it.But what about the third-place team in the division? You know, the San Francisco 49ers? They went to the Super Bowl two years ago. Injuries derailed the 2024 season. In 2025, an early rash of key sprains, strains, and/or fractures didn't throw the campaign off course.Here they are, at 10-4. Despite eight games without quarterback Brock Purdy. Despite losing defensive end Nick Bosa to a torn ACL, and defensive leader Fred Warner to a dislocated and fractured ankle. Despite not having much high-end talent consistently available at the receiver position. Really, but for running back Christian McCaffrey (the favorite to win comeback player of the year and a potential candidate to make a late run at MVP), the 49ers arguably would be lost.But they're not. They visit the cratering Colts on Monday night. Then, they host the Bears and the Seahawks. What...