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Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports


“49ers look like the NFL’s most complete team”: Where San Francisco stands in Week 4 power rankings

Sep 26, 2023 at 9:12 AM--


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The undefeated Miami Dolphins' 70-20 win over the winless Denver Broncos has shot them to the top of multiple power rankings. However, for most, the San Francisco 49ers sit in the top spot.

Also undefeated and sitting atop the NFC West standings, the 49ers are coming off a 30-12 win over the New York Giants. The team is so well-rounded, and Brock Purdy continues to rack up the wins as the starting quarterback.

San Francisco has started the regular season 3-0 for the ninth time in franchise history and has now won 13 consecutive regular-season games dating back to Week 8 of last season. It's the longest active streak in the NFL and the second-longest winning streak in franchise history (15 games between the 1989 and 1990 seasons).

Next up will be the Arizona Cardinals, who just knocked off the Dallas Cowboys, sending the self-proclaimed "America's Team" plummeting down power rankings. After this weekend, the 49ers will prepare to host the Cowboys at Levi's Stadium.

What does the national media think about the Niners' roster compared to the rest of the league? Below is a sample of some of the more prominent power rankings around the web and where San Francisco currently stands within each. As always, the highest rankings are listed first.

Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"The San Francisco 49ers are rolling offensively. In all three games this season, the Niners have scored 30 points. It's an offense that is firing on all cylinders. On the ground, Christian McCaffrey is averaging over 115 rushing yards a game and has topped 100 total yards in all three contests. Through the air, Brock Purdy has been surgically precise, completing 67 percent of his passes with a passer rating of 106.3. ... There's just nothing the Niners aren't doing well right now. The offense is rolling, and the defense is playing as well as any in the NFL." — NFL Staff

CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"They showed against the Giants how dominant they can be on defense. Brock Purdy fits in perfectly in this system as they keep racking up regular-season victories." — Pete Prisco

ESPN
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"The Niners have mostly kept quarterback Brock Purdy upright, ranking right in the middle of the pack in sacks allowed per dropback (6.1%). But, in part because they've faced the highest blitz percentage (43.4%) in the league, the Niners have also allowed one of the highest pressure percentages (33.3%) in the NFL. Teams are likely to continue trying to heat up Purdy with the blitz even though he's had success against it, but it would also help if the Niners, especially on the right side of the line, continue to improve." — Nick Wagoner

Pro Football Network
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"Brock Purdy faced more pressure against the Giants' defense on Thursday night than a weightlifter being pinned to the bench by press too heavy to lift." — Dalton Miller

Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 2
"They are starting to look like a team of destiny." — Mike Florio

The Ringer
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 2
"The 49ers simply have too many good players and too good of an offensive play caller to fail. Running back Christian McCaffrey and offensive tackle Trent Williams both look like the best players in the league at their respective positions, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is taking the leap in a contract year. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are still running wild. Throw in Fred Warner as linebacker at the head of a defense that's seemingly maintained all momentum despite losing defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and I just don't see how this team isn't playing February football. It's Super Bowl or bust (again) for Shanahan's 49ers." — Austin Gayle

Sporting News
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"The 49ers took care of more business to kick off Week 3 by separating from their Giants. Although Christian McCaffrey is off to the races for a scrimmage crown, Brock Purdy is dealing at a high level to George Kittle and all of his weapons, making it even easier on the defense to tee off." — Vinnie Iyer

Touchdown Wire
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"Even when Brock Purdy doesn't play his best game, the 49ers' roster is good enough to still win by three scores. That should worry the rest of the league." — Jarrett Bailey

USA Today
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"We're nearing the realm of death, taxes, San Francisco scoring exactly 30 points (all 3 games this season), prevailing (13-game regular-season winning streak) and enjoying a TD from RB Christian McCaffrey, who's found the paint in 12 consecutive games to match Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's club record." — Nate Davis

Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 1
Previous Rank: 1
"The 49ers are checking every box. The defense shut down the Giants, all while the offense handed out big plays to each of its superstars, almost to prove a point about its unmatched depth at the skill positions. It's early, but the 49ers look like the NFL's most complete team." — Frank Schwab

NFL.com
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 1
"The Giants apparently came into Thursday's matchup intending to blitz the holy heck out of Brock Purdy, and they certainly succeeded in doing that. Purdy was shaky early, but really adjusted to how quickly the defense was bearing down, making several big-time throws outside the numbers. Any team looking to mimic that defensive approach against the Niners is at risk of being carved up. All of it came without the injured Brandon Aiyuk, too, and in a short week. This team appears to be on the same plane right now as it has been in three of the four previous seasons (save for 2020). The upcoming part of the schedule (featuring the suddenly spunky Cardinals and resurgent Browns) is more interesting than it looked previously, but three of the next five are at home before the Week 9 bye. Things are good." — Eric Edholm

Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 2
"This 49ers game vs. the Giants provided a perfect encapsulation of the week: there are 5–8 really good teams in the NFL. There are 5–8 really bad teams in the NFL and somewhere between 16–22 milquetoast franchises, a few of which will make the playoffs. This is so reminiscent of the college game right now. San Francisco is vintage Saban Alabama, missing only the championships. The scary part is that we have not seen almost anything that would classify as an evolution out of San Francisco yet, and you know they have something cooking for when games get tough." — Conor Orr

The Athletic
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 4
"Brock Purdy's path from Mr. Irrelevant to Mr. Wonderful didn't take long. The 49ers are 11-0 in games in which Purdy leads them in pass attempts, and he's second in the league in yards per attempt (8.1) and fourth in passer rating (106.3) through three games." — Josh Kendall

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