Do or die for the 49ers. The latest NFC West chat featured several 49ers fans posing scenarios by which San Francisco might win its remaining games, leaving the Cardinals behind in the NFC West. Some optimism is warranted, but first things first. Before the 49ers can possibly overtake the Cardinals with a Monday night victory over Arizona in Week 14, they need to beat the Seahawks at Qwest Field. That is not necessarily a given even though the 49ers arguably have more talent now that Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and possibly Alex Smith are on the rise. The 49ers have won two of their past three games in Seattle, so they have to like their chances. It's a huge game for San Francisco and a good test for Smith.
Giving it to Gore. It's tough to imagine the 49ers turning away from Frank Gore over the final five games just because the offense has shown signs of life with a pass-oriented approach. Gore has enjoyed some of his finest moments against the Seahawks, including a 207-yard game against them in Week 2. Seattle hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in any of its other games this season, but their history against Gore is a troubling one. The 49ers would be wise to give him another chance to continue the trend.