The San Francisco 49ers are facing an uphill battle in their quest to earn a playoff spot after suffering their second consecutive loss, this time in a lopsided 38-10 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The team was without starting quarterback Brock Purdy due to a shoulder injury, so they turned to Brandon Allen, who made his first start with the 49ers—and his first NFL start since 2021.
Despite the opportunity, Allen and the offense struggled to gain traction against a Packers team looking to avenge last season's playoff defeat at Levi's Stadium.
The loss drops San Francisco to 5-6 on the season, leaving the team searching for answers. The 49ers now shift focus to a tough Week 13 matchup against the 9-2 Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. An upset victory could boost their dwindling playoff chances, but it will require a significant turnaround on both sides of the ball.
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: 13
Previous Ranking: 9
"If this season were going differently and San Francisco had won more of its one-score games, then its loss to one of the NFL's best teams on Sunday would roll right off my back—especially given all the injuries the 49ers are dealing with. But this offensive line is bad and the receiving corps is average, leaving little space for running back Christian McCaffrey to create offense. On the other side of the ball, offenses have wised up about how to neutralize linebacker Fred Warner's impact on the game, and this secondary is far too injured to stop teams from pushing the ball downfield. The 49ers are a good team, but everything has gone wrong this year and the schedule will make it hard for them to stem the tide." — Diante Lee
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 12
"They're not done yet, thanks in large part to being in the NFC West." — Mike Florio
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 14
"The 49ers had little chance to win at Green Bay without Brock Purdy (shoulder), but now the revolving injuries and defensive holes are catching up to them to the point of believing the Super Bowl hangover is full on." — Vinnie Iyer
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 17
Previous Ranking: 12
"My two takeaways from this game are that we should all have a better perspective of Brock Purdy and what he brings to this offense. And, teams are playing San Francisco a lot differently and taking away a lot of their outside runs. Obviously the team was thrown off pace early with a bunch of penalties and administrative errors, but Kyle Shanahan needs to find a new groove before it's too late." — Conor Orr
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 18
Previous Ranking: 15
"With so many injuries, this team hardly resembles the team that went to the Super Bowl last year. If Brock Purdy is out this week, their season might be over." — Pete Prisco
ESPN
Current Ranking: 18
Previous Ranking: 13
"The 49ers' offense has been able to move the ball -- it ranks fourth in yards per game (384.5) and second in yards per play (6.3) -- but struggles to score touchdowns (tied for 18th with 24). The defense lacks the pass rush that has been its hallmark in recent seasons. Injuries have, of course, played a big role, and there is a trickle down from those ailments that have hurt the special teams. But that group has been a problem for a few years. San Francisco is last in expected points added on special teams at minus-32.35. It has already cost the Niners a handful of games that would have put them in a better playoff position." — Nick Wagoner
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 18
Previous Ranking: 16
"On the one hand, the Niners are 5-6, haven't won games in consecutive weeks this season and have a road trip to Buffalo staring them in the face. On the other hand, San Francisco remains in the playoff race because of the sardine-tin-packed nature of the NFC West, with one game separating all four teams -- although the Niners' 1-3 division mark puts them at the bottom for now. Things are certainly grim, and San Fran has not looked like a playoff team for most of the season, if we're being honest. Injuries have sunk their teeth into every aspect of the roster, starting with the offensive stars and trickling down elsewhere. This is feeling more and more like the 2020 season, when things went off track for the 49ers early and never really got back on. Brandon Allen filled in for the injured Brock Purdy and played fairly ably. Really, the performances by the backup QB's teammates -- and not the backup QB -- were the biggest reason that the Packers ran roughshod over the Niners in the second half Sunday." — Eric Edholm
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 18
Previous Ranking: 13
"The issue with the 49ers wasn't losing at a good Packers team without Brock Purdy. It's that there was no fight at all, and that can't all be blamed on being without Purdy and Nick Bosa. If the 49ers miss the playoffs they'll be the NFL's most disappointing team in quite some time." — Frank Schwab
The 33rd Team
Current Ranking: 19
Previous Ranking: 17
"It's hard to put too much stock into the loss against the Packers, considering Brock Purdy, Trent Williams, and Nick Bosa were all out of the lineup. Still, this isn't a very good team, even when all three of those players were on the field. Luckily, the NFC West is still bunched together, but the San Francisco 49ers sit at the bottom of the conference. You shouldn't expect them to climb out of the basement either, considering they will play the Bills and Lions in the near future." — Marcus Mosher
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 19
Previous Ranking: 13
"The 49ers are cooked, and not just because of injuries. There's a serious lack of physicality on both sides of the ball, and San Francisco's defense has taken significant steps in the wrong direction under first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen. It should surprise no one if Kyle Shanahan fires his defensive coordinator for the second straight offseason. There was a time when the 49ers could be considered the bullies of the NFC. There is no longer any semblance of an intimidation factor with this team." — Kristopher Knox
USA Today
Current Ranking: 19
Previous Ranking: 18
"They haven't won on consecutive weekends all season and risk a three-game slide given they're next off to Buffalo. The Niners have certainly had their share of injuries, yet this also feels like HC Kyle Shanahan's most disappointing squad." — Nate Davis
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 20
Previous Ranking: 16
"The boost provided by Christian McCaffrey's return didn't last long. San Francisco won its first game with McCaffrey back in the lineup but has now lost two straight. McCaffrey has averaged only 3.5 yards per carry since his return, including 2.8 Sunday against the Packers. Brock Purdy missed the game with a shoulder injury. As long as he's back soon, we can't count out the 49ers yet because they're only one game back in the division." — Josh Kendall