The San Francisco 49ers took a one-game lead in the NFC West by topping the Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks picked up their first win of the season against the Arizona Cardinals to move into a second-place tie at 1-2. The St. Louis Rams are now the last 0-3 team in the league's worst division, falling 37-7 to the Baltimore Ravens. Tarvaris Jackson continues to struggle as the Seahawks' chosen quarterback, going 18-for-31 with 171 yards and an interception, but 73 yards from Marshawn Lynch were enough to put 13 points on the board against Kevin Kolb and the Cardinals' 10. Alex Smith went 20-for-30 for 201 yards for the 49ers, who won their game against the Bengals by putting up 10 points in the fourth quarter.
The 49ers sit in first place in the NFC West despite poor play from Frank Gore, thanks to some excellent performances from Alex Smith and good-enough defensive work. The Seahawks and the Cardinals, whose quarterback transplants have taken at different rates, find themselves tied up in the NFC West for another reason after Jackson and Kolb were compared all offseason.