5 most interesting NFL matchups to watch Week 9

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 25: Wide receiver DK Metcalf #14 of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the football after a reception against the Arizona Cardinals during the second 2half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The play was called back from a offensive holding penalty. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images /

The NFL regular season has almost reached its midway point. Keep a close eye on these five matchups as teams jockey for playoff position.

There’s nowhere for teams to hide heading into Week 9 of the NFL regular season. As the old mantra goes, records don’t lie. Any franchise wanting to believe they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders that currently possess a sub .500 record is deluding themselves.

That doesn’t mean there’s not ample time to turn things around. There’s still over 50% of the regular season to go. Reversing a team’s fortunes is currently unlikely, but not impossible. Teams wishing to enact that sort of change need to start that work immediately.

Without delay, here are the five most interesting matchups to keep an eye one heading into Week 9.

5. 49ers try to keep their postseason hopes alive vs. Green Bay

Injuries continue to decimate the 49ers on a weekly basis. Losing both Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle last week against the Seahawks might effectively doom their playoff hopes in 2020.

A home loss to Green Bay would leave San Francisco with a 4-5 record in arguably the toughest division in the entire league. It’s too early to call this a “must-win” for the 49ers, but it’s not far away from deserving that desperate moniker.

Look for Kyle Shanahan to get back to the basics of running the football early and often in this one. He understands that Garoppolo is a quarterback that needs to be protected in the event that he is healthy enough to play. Keeping the ball away from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense is also a smart plan.

Green Bay will want to bounce back from an ugly loss to the Vikings. That makes this an even tougher matchup for San Francisco. This could be the loss that sends the 49ers’ season spinning out of control.

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