The San Francisco 49ers have won three consecutive games since their three-game losing streak in October. Their latest victory was last week on Thanksgiving night against the Seattle Seahawks.
This week, they face the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Championship Game rematch at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles, with a 10-1 record, are coming off an overtime win over the Buffalo Bills and present a formidable challenge. The much-anticipated Week 13 showdown could be a season-defining moment for the victor.
In the last three games, the 49ers' dominant defense and efficient offense have secured wins with an average margin of 20.7 points. In contrast, the Eagles have had a more modest margin of victory, averaging 4.8 points over the last four games. However, Philadelphia is the consensus top team in this week's power rankings.
The 49ers are eager to play a full game with Brock Purdy at the helm of the offense. In last season's playoff meeting, the quarterback suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm, contributing to San Francisco's 31-7 defeat.
What does the national media think about the Niners' roster compared to the rest of the league? Below are samples from 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.
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 2
Eagles Rank: 1
"Aside from struggling in an injury-prone, rain-plagued game against a great defense in Cleveland, the 49ers' offense has been the most rounded and efficient group in the league. Running back Christian McCaffrey is leading the league in rushing yards (939) but quarterback Brock Purdy also leads the league in Total QBR (75.6) and completion percentage (70.2%). Defensively, the Niners struggled during their three-game losing streak but have righted the ship lately behind a pass rush that's racked up 15 sacks in the past three games after posting just 18 in the first eight. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky has been excellent and kicker Jake Moody has been solid aside from one significant miss against the Browns, but the kick coverage and return games have been lacking." — Nick Wagoner
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 2
Eagles Rank: 1
"They'll likely outplay the Eagles. Can they outscore them?" — Mike Florio
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 2
Eagles Rank: 1
"As predicted, the 49ers' three-game losing streak is now a distant memory. Also, as predicted, the 49ers seem forged by their little detour into substandard play. Christian McCaffrey had more than 100 rushing yards in the first half against their next-closest division rival, and San Francisco had a 21-point halftime lead. I would say that qualifies as being 'back.'" — Conor Orr
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 2
Eagles Rank: 1
"The 49ers dominated with defense overall against the Seahawks and grinded through to a fine offensive performance in a tough road environment on Thanksgiving. They are flexing as a complete NFC force at the right time, right before the Eagles showdown in Philadelphia." — Vinnie Iyer
USA Today
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 3
Eagles Rank: 1
"They've won 10 in a row against NFC West foes during the regular season, pretty much putting the division on lockdown. If they can run their regular-season heater against NFC East teams to five this Sunday, then the race for the bye and home-field advantage in the conference gets a lot more interesting." — Nate Davis
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 2
Eagles Rank: 1
"The first three quarters or so of the Thanksgiving win at Seattle were absolutely dominant. You won't see one team destroy another playoff-level team like that very often. If the 49ers can go into Philadelphia and win Sunday, there shouldn't be any further question about their status as the best team in the NFL." — Frank Schwab
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 3
Previous Rank: 4
Eagles Rank: 1
"The division crown isn't completely sewn up, but it's getting there. The 49ers have dominated the NFC West lately, winning 10 straight games against their most familiar foes. The next mantle is the NFC's No. 1 seed, with the Eagles on tap this week in Philadelphia. San Francisco has work to do to catch Philly, but winning Sunday would be a huge step in that direction. This team has completely realigned itself after the three-game losing streak, winning the past three comfortably by double digits. Nearly every hole we poked in the Niners during the skid has been answered since, headlined by Brock Purdy's reemergence and the rediscovery of the pass rush. Now they catch Philadelphia at a fascinating juncture, with the Eagles coming off an emotional seven-day span that included comeback wins over the Chiefs and Bills. Will the 49ers be the next late-game victim, or are they due to end Philly's magic run?" — Eric Edholm
The Ringer
Current Ranking: 3
Previous Rank: 3
Eagles Rank: 1
"There was a time in which this 49ers team looked mortal. That time has passed. San Francisco's surprising midseason slump felt like nothing more than a distant memory after watching this team dispatch its third straight opponent in dominating fashion on Thursday, this time a 31-13 blowout over the Seahawks. The victory gives the 49ers a commanding lead in the NFC West and sets the team up for what could be a pivotal showdown with the Eagles in Week 13. At 10-1, Philly currently has a two-game lead for the conference's top spot (and that immensely valuable wild-card round bye), but a San Francisco win would get this team to within one game—while providing a critical head-to-head tiebreaker. We've got a Game of the Year candidate on deck." — Danny Kelly
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 5
Eagles Rank: 1
"Since acquiring defensive end Chase Young at the trade deadline, the 49ers are second in the league with 15 sacks. They have at least four sacks in each game since then, and they got Geno Smith six times on Thanksgiving Day. Plus, they still have Brock Purdy and that offense. San Francisco has played one other contender this season. It beat the Cowboys 42-10 in that game. This team could finally get Kyle Shanahan his championship." — Josh Kendall
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 5
Eagles Rank: 1
"They are so good when they have all their players. Brock Purdy is playing at such a high level right now, which is why they have that Super Bowl look again." — Pete Prisco
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 5
Eagles Rank: 1
"The 49ers have the NFC West as close to locked up as they can at this point in the season. They play the Seahawks again in Week 14, which should wrap up the division." — Jarrett Bailey
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 5
Eagles Rank: 1
"In the NFL, a passer rating of 158.3 is perfect. A quarterback can't do any better. And Brock Purdy of the 49ers posted that perfect passer rating in Sunday's win over the Buccaneers. Of Purdy's 25 pass attempts, just four fell incomplete. Purdy averaged a whopping 13.3 yards per attempt and tossed three touchdowns. It was a master class on how to play quarterback in the NFL—from a second-year pro who was the final pick in the 2022 draft. ... The 49ers are loaded with talent at the offensive skill positions. The defense has Pro Bowlers at all three levels in edge-rusher Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and safety Talanoa Hufanga. But there's one thing that didn't go well for the Niners on Sunday—Hufanga suffered a season-ending ACL tear. It's a blow, to be sure. But the Niners still remain arguably the biggest threat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC." — NFL Staff
Pro Football Network
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 6
Eagles Rank: 1
"Field position played a pretty key role in the 49ers' offensive success in the first half, but their offensive potential remains insane. The group had five three-and-outs on the day, but every other drive consisted of multiple first downs (seven). As long as Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey remain healthy, the 49ers will be tough to beat in the NFC." — Dalton Miller
