The San Francisco 49ers on Sunday had an opportunity to knock off the team many consider to be the best in NFL. They came close but fell short with a 20-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
The defeat didn't do too much damage to the 49ers' placement in power rankings, probably due to the way the team lost. It was a hard-fought battle at M&T Bank Stadium that could have gone either way. San Francisco validated its placement near the top of rankings and proved that it belongs in any conversation about the NFL's best teams.
The loss, coupled with a Seattle Seahawks win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night, knocked the 49ers out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff standings. In fact, it pushed them all the way down to the No. 5 seed and second place in the NFC West.
If the season ended today, the 49ers (10-2) would travel to the Dallas Cowboys (6-6) in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Of course, the season doesn't end today, and there are still four more weeks to climb in the standings.
San Francisco did see a slight drop in many power rankings, stayed put in one, and even rose a spot in another.
Below is a sample of some of the more prominent power rankings around the web and where San Francisco currently stands within each.
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 3
Previous rank: 1
"The 49ers showed they were up to the challenge in a showdown with the red-hot Ravens, but their inability to make the big play in the second half -- not to mention, the impossibly accurate leg of Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker -- haunted the visiting team in a 20-17 loss. The defeat, coupled with a Seahawks win on Monday night over the Vikings, drops San Francisco from No. 1 all the way to No. 5 in the NFC playoff picture." — Dan Hanzus
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 2
Previous rank: 2
"Much like the game the Niners lost to the Seahawks, this loss to the Ravens could conceivably be spun as a moral victory for San Fran. It was tight throughout both on the scoreboard and on the stat sheet, but this failed fourth-and-one proved to be the decider. A great outing for Raheem Mostert, who rumbled for 146 yards on 19 carries." — The MMQB Staff
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 4
Previous rank: 3
"They showed well on defense against the Ravens, but they needed more on offense. They are suddenly in second place in the division." — Pete Prisco
ESPN
Current Ranking: 2
Previous rank: 3
"Garoppolo isn't really under fire, but all eyes will be on him as the 49ers play in bigger and more meaningful games down the stretch. Garoppolo has been good for the most part this season, save for occasional trouble protecting the ball. He hasn't been asked to carry the freight much for a team with a strong run game and stout defense, but he has delivered productive outings more often than not. The stage is about to get a bit bigger and the lights a bit brighter, but Garoppolo will be the Niner who garners the most attention as the postseason inches closer." — Nick Wagoner
USA Today
Current Ranking: 4
Previous rank: 3
"Schedule doesn't let up with trip to New Orleans next on schedule. May be a holiday blessing as Niners could well be returning to Big Easy in January." — Nate Davis