Why the 49ers should root for the Seahawks in Week 9

The San Francisco 49ers couldn't have had their bye week at a more perfect time.

It gives them time to rest and regroup after a difficult first eight games of the season. More importantly, their departure comes mid-season. This is always the optimal time for a bye, especially for the 49ers as they look to make a playoff push late in the season.

However, they could use a little help with this. That help has to come from a team that is usually an enemy: the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers should hope the Seahawks win in Week 9 while on the bye. They want the Seahawks to win because they are facing the Los Angeles Rams. After starting the season 1st through 4th, the Rams experienced an upswing.

You will get healthy and get going. They are by far the 49ers' most threatening opponent in the NFC West. They also retain the tiebreaker over the 49ers thanks to a collapse in Week 3. The 49ers need a Seahawks win to keep the Rams from falling to a 4-4 record. Now the Seahawks are 5-4, but the 49ers have the tiebreaker ahead of them.

Additionally, the 49ers will face them at home in Week 11. Seattle is a team that the 49ers have dominated for three years in a row, so this will most likely be a win for them. Since the Seahawks pose little threat, it's fine for them to get a win over the Rams and thereby hinder the Rams' progress. If rooting for the Seahawks is weird, then maybe the Rams losing is easier to digest.

In any case, the 49ers benefit more from a Rams loss and that should be their main concern.