Week 12's Monday Night Football showdown against the Carolina Panthers was about as must-win of a game as possible at this point of the season for the San Francisco 49ers.
Win, and the Niners would not only keep pace with the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams and second-place Seattle Seahawks, but they'd also maintain a grip on the final Wild Card spot in the conference playoff picture.
Lose, and San Francisco would likely cede any chance of reclaiming the division while also falling well behind in the NFC postseason race.
The 49ers pulled off a 20-9 victory in prime time, although it wasn't always pretty.