The San Francisco 49ers have proven that they must be part of the discussion when talking about the best teams in the NFL. The Kyle Shanahan-led squad is in the top three of each of the more prominent power rankings this week, proving that most of the national media now believes in the 7-0 Niners.
The throttling of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday may have eliminated the last remaining doubters. The 49ers defense can smother you, the offense can put up points, and despite a few miscues, the special teams unit hasn't lost any games.
Bucky Brooks of NFL Network joined KNBR on Tuesday night and shared what he thought of the red-hot 49ers.
"The San Francisco 49ers are a title contender," Brooks told Mark Willard. "They're one of the heavyweights in the NFC, if not the main heavyweight. The reason they are built to last is because they've got a strong defense. You've got five former first-round picks on that defense, and they play like it. They control the game critical with their D-line. They're able to get after the passer, and because they're harassing quarterbacks, balls are being intercepted on tips and overthrows because pressure helps out the coverage.
"On offense, their running game is a monster. Three times they've gone over 200 yards, they can run it at will, and because they can run it, they can control the game."
That doesn't mean Brooks doesn't see any weaknesses on the roster. He still questions one very important position on the team.
"The only question that I have about the 49ers centers around No. 10, Jimmy Garoppolo," Brooks continued. "I know Jimmy Garoppolo has a fantastic starting record, but when you really look at him play, I'm worried because every game, there's like a turnover. There's something that just leads me to wonder if a team can take away the 49ers' running game, is Jimmy G good enough to beat them?
"We haven't seen him tested in that light this season but it's going to be a test that he's going to have to answer if this team reaches its full potential."
Brooks goes on to discuss how the 49ers match up against some of the other heavyweights in the NFC, like the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Brooks below.
