NFC West Midseason Playoff Scenarios: Can the 49ers Still Make the Playoffs?

At 2-6, the San Francisco 49ers may seem like they are completely out of playoff contention.

With half their season behind them, the 49ers have been a disappointment thus far. But they play in a division that could quite possibly be the worst in history, which gives the 49ers an inkling of hope at midseason.

The playoff scenarios are endless, as no team has separated themselves from the pack. All four teams are suspect on both sides of the ball.

Two games separate the first-place Rams and Seahawks from the last-place 49ers. No team is better than .500, and Seattle was just embarrassed in a 34-point loss.

The bye week may have been the 49ers' best week of the season, gaining ground on the top spot in the division. 8-8 will, in all likelihood, seal first place in the division, while 9-7 would run away with it.

There have been reports that a 7-9 record would win the NFC West, but it seems unlikely that no team will be able to break .500, as they play each other.

In their upcoming schedule, the 49ers only face two teams—the Packers and Buccaneers—who have a winning record. While fans should know better than to chalk up a 'W' on the schedule before playing the game, the schedule could be a lot more difficult.

If nothing else, the 49ers will remain competitive in most of their games. Tampa Bay stands as the second-toughest game left on the schedule, which should bode well for the 49ers.

The 49ers still have five division games left on the schedule. They have already played Seattle at Qwest Field, which is the most difficult division game on their schedule.

The 49ers have done considerably well against the rest of the division, so I expect them to win at least three of their games within the division.

It doesn't seem like any team is really going to step up and take hold of the division. Every time it appears as though there might be a favorite, the entire division flips and a new favorite emerges.

While no team is really worthy of a playoff spot, there will be a winner—even if it is by default. It all comes down to who is fourth-worst in the NFC West.

Seattle is a popular choice to take hold of the division, but they have been beaten beyond recognition by injuries.

First year Seattle head coach Pete Carroll appeared to change the culture around Seattle, but they may be lacking the talent across their roster to remain competitive.

The Seahawks have overachieved and have played extremely well at home, with the exception of the beating they endured against the Giants.

Seattle faces an uphill battle, facing the Saints, Chiefs, Falcons, and Buccaneers in the second half of the season. After their miserable performance against the Giants and a banged-up football team from top to bottom, the Seahawks look like they have taken a giant leap backwards.

The Rams have definitely made the greatest strides in the division. The addition of Sam Bradford plays a huge part in the relative success the Rams have encountered this year, winning more games this season already than they did in 2008 and 2009 combined.

The Rams are 4-4 and will control their own fate, still having four division games remaining.

St. Louis has a new swagger that they have been sorely lacking in recent years. Their defense has stepped up, and the entire team has a renewed confidence.

If they can get a win on the road against the 49ers this week, it would prove that they are a serious force in the division. If they fail to do so, they will only be one game out of last place.

The Cardinals might have the worst quarterback situation in the division, which is a feat within itself. Max Hall and Derek Anderson have both been given the nod at some point during the season, but both are struggling to put the ball in Larry Fitzgerald's hands.

The flavor of the week is Derek Anderson, and he appears to have better command of the offense than undrafted rookie Max Hall.

The Cardinals somehow found a way to blow a 14-point lead late into the fourth quarter on Sunday when they played Minnesota. The team is in complete disarray, and they are having a hard time adjusting to key losses that were suffered during the offseason.

The Cardinals could leap into first place if they beat Seattle and the Rams lose. They could also nose-dive into last place if they lose and the 49ers win.

This is a make-or-break week for the Cardinals.

With the division so wide open, this is the most crucial juncture for every single team in the division. With two head-to-head division matchups, this week is a must-win for every single team.

If the 49ers can pull off a victory at home against the Rams, they launch themselves right back into the playoff conversation.

The 49ers are definitely down, but certainly not out. They have managed to lose seemingly easy games this season—Carolina comes to mind—but if Troy Smith can succeed, the 49ers will be forced to remain with him throughout the season, regardless of how Alex Smith's injury heals.

Troy Smith is 1-0. He might not be a specimen, but if he can put the 49ers in a position to win, much like Shaun Hill did the last few seasons, the 49ers will likely give him the nod.

Troy Smith doesn't make game-crushing mistakes, which is an improvement from Alex Smith.

The 49ers will need to address the head coach position, as well as the starting quarterback spot after the season is over. For now, they will have to focus on the task at hand.

By winning six or seven games, they could remain semi-credible going into next season. By going 6-2 to finish the season, they could make the playoffs.

San Francisco has a lot to hang their head about, but they could still make a push toward first place. They have the talent to compete against the rest of their division head to head.

If they can come away with four or five victories against division opponents, the division will be in reach.

There are a lot of ifs and scenarios that are going to float around the NFC West for the remainder of the season. This week will be able to tell us a lot about the entire division.

The 49ers are almost certainly out of the playoffs talks if they lose and could be named the dark horse if they win. This is the most important game of the season for the 49ers so far.

It will be interesting to see how they respond.