The 49ers’ measuring stick game against the Dolphins was a success. They left Levi’s Stadium with a 33-17 victory, which conceivably should’ve kept them in the top five of the USA TODAY NFL power rankings. Instead, Jimmy Garoppolo’s season-ending foot injury cast a sizable cloud over their 2022 season outlook, which actually dropped them three spots to No. 8.
The dip in the power rankings accurately reflects where the Niners find themselves with five games remaining though. They still have a championship-caliber defense and quarterback Brock Purdy played well enough in relief of Garoppolo.
How far their defense and a rookie seventh-round pick under center can take them remains to be seen though.
While the power rankings may be thrown into flux while the 49ers establish a new offensive baseline with their third starting QB of the season, San Francisco remains atop the NFC West and their path to a playoff spot should still be relatively unobstructed.
The good news is we won’t have to wait long to find out where this version of the 49ers stacks up. They face the NFC South leading Buccaneers in Week 14, then head to Seattle for an NFC West showdown on Thursday Night Football the following week. After that they come home for a bout with the Washington Commanders, who sit on the fringe of a playoff spot a half game behind the No. 7 seed Seahawks.
Question marks may have dropped the 49ers in the power rankings, but they’ll have a few chances to erase some of those and climb back up to the top five.
