The San Francisco 49ers bounced back from their loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a decisive 41–22 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11. It marked the return of quarterback Brock Purdy, who delivered an efficient performance after missing time with a turf toe injury, finishing with 200 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Running back Christian McCaffrey powered the offense with 121 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), while tight end George Kittle added 67 receiving yards and caught Purdy's remaining two touchdown passes.
San Francisco's offense ranks 10th in the NFL in total yards per game, while the defense ranks 25th in total yards allowed.
Next up is a Monday night showdown against the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium, where the 49ers will look to stack back-to-back wins for the first time since Weeks 2 and 3. A victory would be crucial as San Francisco continues its push to gain ground on the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West race.
How does the national media view the 49ers compared to the rest of the league? Below is a roundup of the latest NFL power rankings, highlighting where San Francisco currently stands in each. As always, the highest rankings are listed first.
ESPN
Current Ranking: 9
Previous Ranking: 13
"Who's under the most pressure: Wide receiver Jauan Jennings' season got off to a slow start after he dealt with a preseason contract dispute and a number of injuries. He didn't get the lucrative long-term deal he sought and ultimately settled for incentives being added to his current contract, which expires after the season. Jennings has recently showed signs of life but hasn't produced (32 catches for 378 yards and three touchdowns) at nearly the level he did in 2024. He could use a finishing flourish to land the type of deal he wants, and the 49ers need his strong play to make a postseason push." — Nick Wagoner
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 10
Previous Ranking: 13
"Well, the QB controversy feels dead for the time being. Brock Purdy returned to action from his long hiatus and looked sharp, throwing for three TDs -- including an early beauty to George Kittle -- with only seven incompletions in an effective day. Seeing Purdy and Kittle together for the first time since Week 1 was a reminder of just how wildly injuries have sunk into this team. The 49ers took control of the game from the opening kickoff, although some quirky special-teams failures kept the score closer early on. It certainly was a strange affair, as Arizona outgained San Francisco by more than 200 yards with the Niners' defense back on its heels in protect-the-lead mode for most of the second half. The 49ers face a challenge on Monday against the suddenly relevant Panthers, but the playoffs are feeling more likely after Sunday." — Eric Edholm
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 13
"The 49ers running back leads the league with 267 touches, just one season removed from playing only four games due to Achilles tendinitis and a knee injury. This is the third-highest usage rate of his career, and he's had a high-usage career. He had another 81 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards and three touchdowns Sunday." — Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 13
Previous Ranking: 15
"Every week, the San Francisco 49ers lose a defensive player to injury, but they're getting healthier on offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall returned to action after a month on the sideline. The former threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns, while the latter only caught one pass. San Francisco's offense must compensate for key losses on the defensive side of the ball in potential scoring shootouts with more competitive teams. The 49ers have alternated wins and losses since Week 3, which explains why they're stagnant in our rankings." — Moe Moton
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 13
Previous Ranking: 15
"The 49ers got Brock Purdy back and their offense showed a lot more juice and upside overall in Arizona. The question is can they do enough the rest of the way to at least displace the Seahawks to earn a wild card behind the heavy division favorite Rams?" — Vinnie Iyer
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 13
Previous Ranking: 15
"The 49ers got the win but also gave up 488 yards to a Cardinals offense without Kyler Murray, James Conner or Marvin Harrison Jr. It's impressive that the 49ers are winning in spite of injuries, but it's still hard to see them being a Super Bowl contender." — Frank Schwab
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 14
Previous Ranking: 18
"They'd love nothing more than to have another shot at the Rams in the playoffs." — Mike Florio
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 14
Previous Ranking: 15
"At this time the statistics are difficult to argue with. The 49ers are a touchdown better with Brock Purdy, about 5% more effective on third down and 10% more effective on fourth down. If you don't think this is a team that will make some noise in the playoffs—and could still legitimately contend for one of the top seeds in the NFC—I don't know what to tell you." — Conor Orr
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 16
"Getting Brock Purdy back is big for this team. Kyle Shanahan has done an amazing job with this group." — Pete Prisco
USA Today
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 15
"And that's why any talk that QB2 Mac Jones should be installed as the permanent starter over Brock Purdy − for any period of time − was simply nonsense. Jones did his job, and so did Purdy, whose return coincided with the Niners climbing into the NFC's projected playoff field." — Nate Davis
The Ringer
Current Ranking: 17
Previous Ranking: 13
"Now that quarterback Brock Purdy is back, this offense is set up to play well down the stretch. The defense, though, remains a question. That unit seems to be surviving on the back of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh's play calling alone—and that might not be enough to keep this team viable. It feels like the two forces—an ascending offense and a threadbare defense—are pulling at one another. Can the offense lift up a struggling defense enough to make the playoffs? Or will this defense drag the team down? We'll learn a lot about this team next week against the Panthers, in a game it absolutely can't lose if it wants to stay safe and comfortable in the NFC race." — Diante Lee