49ers get help from Bills in NFC playoff race

And then there were two. The San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills are now the only teams in the NFL with one loss after Buffalo knocked off the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 on Monday night.

The 49ers are coming off a 38-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, improving their record to 7-1. The Vikings fell to 6-2, while the Bills improved to 7-1.

San Francisco entered Week 9 atop the NFC standings thanks to a tiebreaker over Minnesota. However, the Bills' victory gives the 49ers a little separation from the Vikings in the conference standings.

If the season ended today, the Vikings would still hold the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture. The Bills' win gives San Francisco a little breathing room, but the 49ers still have plenty of work to do.

San Francisco must continue building momentum in the second half of the season if it hopes to secure the NFC's No. 1 seed and the coveted first-round bye that comes with it.

The 49ers will visit the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, looking to improve to 8-1 and maintain their position atop the NFC.

Current NFC playoff picture

1. San Francisco 49ers — 7-1*
2. Minnesota Vikings — 6-2*
3. New York Giants — 5-2-1*
4. Carolina Panthers — 3-5*
5. Chicago Bears — 7-2
6. Detroit Lions — 6-2
7. Green Bay Packers — 6-3

* Division leaders

NFC West standings

1. San Francisco 49ers — 7-1
2. Seattle Seahawks — 5-4
3. Los Angeles Rams — 5-4
4. Arizona Cardinals — 3-6