It could've all been so different.
It seems quaint now, but the San Francisco 49ers went into Sunday's game with the Los Angeles Rams with a huge opportunity.
Having already edged them out once this season, as well as beaten the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, the Niners came in with a 6-3 record, but perhaps more crucially, a 3-0 record in the NFC West. In a division that's frequently tight and decided by tiebreakers, the 49ers holding the main one was a significant boon.
There was even a thought at one stage that San Francisco's brave efforts in the early part of the season (in spite of much injury attrition) could set up nicely to control the division when players came back.