The 49ers’ blowout loss to the Chiefs was ugly. They have a long way to go to be considered a real Super Bowl contender based on what we saw in a 44-23 defeat at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday. While that version of the future is bleak, the state of the rest of the NFL at present leaves the 49ers in the top 10 of the USA TODAY NFL power rankings.
There are a handful of factors at play that kept San Francisco from careening down the power rankings board after their worst loss in a couple years. Two of those factors are their health and their newest running back. Via USA TODAY’s Nate Davis:
Their Super Bowl 54 rematch loss to Kansas City got out of hand late. But a revitalized defense and fully integrated RB Christian McCaffrey should be enough to fuel a rise to the top of the NFC West.
Then there’s the fact that the 49ers’ two-game losing streak pales in comparison to some of the other bad football being played around the league. Green Bay, Tampa Bay and New England all sit in the middle f the pack after losses in games where they could’ve established themselves as a force to be reckoned with moving forward.
Perhaps the biggest reason for faith in the 49ers though is that they’re in a spot similar to the one they were in last year. There’s reason to believe they can rally from a 3-4 start to play good football into November and through December. Given the state of the rest of the league, stringing together four or five wins starting in November could be enough to push the 49ers into the postseason where their style of football has yielded success over the last few years.
