The San Francisco 49ers head into their bye week with renewed momentum, fresh off a hard-fought 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Following a discouraging loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers rebounded to even their record at 4-4, reigniting hopes for a strong second half of the season.
Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 18 of 26 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown while also adding 56 rushing yards and another score on the ground. Tight end George Kittle played a crucial role as well, hauling in six receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown to help secure the Week 8 win.
The 49ers will return to action on November 10, when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The extra week provides a valuable opportunity for recovery and fine-tuning as San Francisco prepares for a pivotal stretch that will determine their playoff chances.
What does the national media think about the 49ers compared to the rest of the league? Below is a sample of some of the most prominent power rankings from around the web, showing where San Francisco currently stands in each. As always, the highest rankings are listed first.
The Ringer
Current Ranking: 8
Previous Ranking: 11
"In the 49ers' win over the Cowboys, for what felt like the first time this season, San Francisco stopped hunting for explosive passes on every dropback and leaned on its best players to create after the catch. Brock Purdy got rid of the ball quickly and attempted fewer passes on Sunday night than he had in any game this season, and the 49ers put up a season high in yards after the catch. Purdy has played pretty well up to this point in the season, but with the injuries piling up, it was clear that Shanahan needed to rein things in, which keeps this franchise in the top 10 for another week." — Diante Lee
Current Ranking: 9
Previous Ranking: 11
"This was the kind of game the 49ers needed as they hit a merciful bye week in which all of their players should be placed in permanent ice baths. The division is setting up incredibly well for meaningful, late-season clashes between Shanahan and Sean McVay and Shanahan and Dan Campbell. Hopefully, San Francisco will emerge from the bye with a full-strength Christian McCaffrey." — Conor Orr
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 15
"George Kittle had 128 receiving yards Sunday on the fake holiday that he basically created out of thin air in 2018, and the 49ers looked more like the team we were expecting this season. However, that was Kittle's first 100-yard game of the season and second since Week 10 of last year. With Brandon Aiyuk out, San Francisco will need more from Kittle. Does the 31-year-old have it to give?" — Josh Kendall
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 14
"The San Francisco 49ers weren't in unfamiliar territory entering Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Slow starts to the season have become a somewhat regular occurrence under head coach Kyle Shanahan, even if the team would rather they weren't. This year, injuries on offense were largely to blame. The team suffered yet another one Sunday night when running back Jordan Mason left after aggravating his shoulder injury. But rookie Isaac Guerendo stepped up in Mason's stead, the Niners peeled off 21 straight points in the third quarter and San Fran held off a late charge to move back into a tie for first place in the NFC West." — Gary Davenport
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 13
"The 49ers dug themselves out of some injury-riddled offensive concerns thanks to Brock Purdy doing whatever it takes with George Kittle. Kyle Shanahan was also forced to trust rising rookies Ricky Pearsall and Isaac Guerendo at critical times vs. the Cowboys." — Vinnie Iyer
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 11
"The 49ers are hanging around while they get healthy. They still seem to be the class of the NFC West, though that's not assured. It's a team that has played well in spurts, like the third quarter Sunday night, but not enough to trust them as contenders yet." — Frank Schwab
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 14
"The San Francisco 49ers got a much-needed win against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football to improve to 4-4, but they still have some major concerns. The 49ers were up by 17 late in the fourth quarter, and yet, the Cowboys had a chance to win the game in regulation after soaring back with two late touchdowns. The 49ers have some big issues in their secondary, but at least they got back to .500 and are now in a prime position to get back on top in the NFC West." — Marcus Mosher
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 15
"That team we saw in the dominating victory over the Cowboys was the team we expected to see this season. That was the physical 49ers team we've come to know over the years." — Pete Prisco
ESPN
Current Ranking: 12
Preseason Ranking: 13
"Best offseason addition: Guard Dominick Puni. The third-round pick has been exactly what the Niners needed at a position that has been troublesome for most of the coach Kyle Shanahan/GM John Lynch era. Injuries opened an opportunity for Puni during training camp, and he seized the job. His 94.1% pass block win rate ranks 12th among guards, and his run block win rate of 74.5% is 14th among players who have played at least 100 snaps at guard." — Nick Wagoner
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 15
"If they can ever get and stay healthy, they could be unstoppable." — Mike Florio
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 14
Previous Ranking: 16
"Sunday night's contest was a get-right game for the 49ers, even if it wasn't easy. They didn't take control of the banged-up Cowboys until the third quarter and didn't actually put this one away until later than that. But no matter; San Francisco is 4-4 entering a Week 9 bye, with potential moves at the trade deadline and the possible returns of Christian McCaffrey and Dre Greenlaw to look forward to. Nick Bosa had a big outing, and Sam Okuayinonu has come on nicely as a rusher. Still, if the Niners are going to add pieces, may I kindly suggest some defensive line help? It feels like they need one more impact player up front. I might have said wide receiver should be addressed, too, in the wake of Brandon Aiyuk's season-ending injury, but Ricky Pearsall Jr. put together a strong effort Sunday and might be one to watch down the stretch. The NFC West is tightly bunched, with Seattle and Arizona also sitting at 4-4 and the Rams at 3-4, so I expect the Niners to be working the phones. Even if we set aside the possible new faces, though, San Francisco remains the best option to claim the division crown, slow start be damned." — Eric Edholm
Current Ranking: 16
Previous Ranking: 17
"If Christian McCaffrey and his Achilles issues are indeed on the other side of this week's bye, you wonder if the Niners should maybe deploy him more heavily in the slot to bolster a weakened receiver corps and let RBs Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo continue doing their spectacular work out of the backfield." — Nate Davis
