Injuries may not be a good excuse for an NFL team losing a game, but the 49ers sustained enough of them that they managed to stay in the top 10 of the USA TODAY NFL power rankings after a 28-14 loss to the Falcons.
San Francisco entered Week 6 ranked No. 6, but their loss dropped them to No. 9. Their injury woes, which they’d overcome to find a 3-2 record after five games, eventually caught up to them in Atlanta. Via USA TODAY’s Nate Davis:
The injuries may have reached critical mass for a squad that surrendered 28 points in Atlanta, more than double the 12.2 points San Francisco had allowed on average over the first five weeks.
There’s certainly some credence to the injury problems catching up with San Francisco’s defense. They still allowed only 21 points though and came up with enough stops to win. It was lack of execution on a couple big plays by the offense that really swung the game in Atlanta’s favor.
It’s clear when piecing together the 49ers’ offensive and defensive performances this year that they’re a legitimate contender in an NFC that looks up for grabs after six weeks. Whether San Francisco can stitch it all together to make a playoff run is a different story. For now they still sit in the top 10. Their health through the year may determine whether they finish the season there or continue a steady slide down the rankings.
