After a commanding 34-3 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10, the San Francisco 49ers are back in the discussion for the top teams in the league. The much-needed win snapped a three-game losing streak, providing a positive turnaround for a team that has struggled greatly in recent weeks.
Quarterback Brock Purdy, who faced scrutiny during the losing streak, answered with a stellar performance. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns, earning a career-high passer rating of 148.9.
Adding defensive end Chase Young, making his debut alongside teammate Nick Bosa, proved impactful. The duo combined for a sack on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, contributing to a dominant defensive showing on Sunday. The unit recorded five sacks, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries, holding the Jaguars to just 221 total yards of offense.
Scoring 30 or more points for the sixth time this season, the 49ers showcased an offensive resurgence. This marked their first 30-point game since October 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. The return of key players, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tackle Trent Williams, from injuries further solidify things on the offensive side of the football.
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.
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 5
"If they keep their key players healthy, they'll win it all." — Mike Florio
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 2
Previous Rank: 3
"This 49ers team with Trent Williams and with a deep rotational pass rush is about as good as it gets. Brock Purdy throwing a touchdown to George Kittle almost completely blinded by a collapsing pocket should give his doubters a rest for one week at least." — Conor Orr
ESPN
Current Ranking: 3
Previous Rank: 8
"Biggest remaining game: Week 12 (Thanksgiving) at Seattle. It's tempting to choose the Week 13 NFC Championship Game rematch against the Eagles because of what it could mean for the NFC playoff picture. But the NFC West has to be the first priority before the Niners can dream bigger. A win in Seattle on Thanksgiving would put them in prime position to claim the division crown. Since 2012, the Niners have won in Seattle just twice, but both times they've done it (2019 and 2022), they've gone on to win the NFC West." — Nick Wagoner
USA Today
Current Ranking: 3
Previous Rank: 4
"Told you they'd be fine with All-Pro LT Trent Williams and WR Deebo Samuel back in the lineup. And let's give a little more love to Pro Bowler George Kittle, who's now surpassed 500 receiving yards in all seven of his professional seasons – the fourth tight end in NFL history to manage the feat." — Nate Davis
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 3
Previous Rank: 5
"The 49ers' defense looked like their defense again in a throttling of the red-hot Jaguars. Put the word out that the 49ers are back." — Josh Schrock
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 6
"There's no doubt Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive designers and play callers in the NFL, maybe in the history of the NFL, but is he a great head coach? After Sunday, Shanahan is 58-49 in seven seasons in San Francisco. Eleven current head coaches with at least six years on the job have a better career winning percentage than Shanahan's .539. But when it looks good, it looks good, and it looked good Sunday. The 49ers had 437 yards and are now third in the league in scoring (28 ppg)." — Josh Kendall
The Ringer
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 5
"The team that we saw consistently embarrass its opponents earlier in the season returned in Week 10. The 49ers got up early and dominated during their 34-3 win over the Jaguars. Offensively, this game served as a reminder of how tough the 49ers are to stop when they're at full strength (they got left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Deebo Samuel back). But if you're a Niners fan, the more encouraging part of the victory was the defense bouncing back. San Francisco limited the Jaguars to 221 yards and 12 first downs, while producing four takeaways." — Austin Gayle
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 8
"The 49ers had a surprise offensive get-well game in Jacksonville with Brock Purdy leading the way and all his key supporting weapons doing damage, even without Christian McCaffrey scoring. The biggest development was the defense going back to dominating a good offense." — Vinnie Iyer
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 9
"They beat up the Jaguars in every facet of the game. That's the 49ers team we've come to expect. It was a heck of a way to break a three-game losing streak." — Pete Prisco
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 7
"Boy, the Week 10 victory checked off just about every box we could dream up after the three-game losing streak preceding the Week 9 bye. Is the pass rush back? Oh yeah. Did we see the good version of Brock Purdy? No doubt. Kyle Shanahan? In his bag. Hard to ask for much more than that in one game. Beating the Jaguars 34-3 isn't as significant, positionally, as a divisional win would be, but it was a statement victory -- which easily could have been even more lopsided -- over a quality opponent on the road. It stanched the bleeding, calmed the hysterics and served as a springboard into Niners November. San Francisco has now won seven straight November games, and throwing out the injury-riddled 2020 season, this team has dominated the colder months in the Shanahan era. The 49ers' final sprint lies ahead, but they're on the move." — Eric Edholm
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 6
Previous Rank: 10
"The San Francisco 49ers came out of the bye week riding a three-game skid and needing a win in the worst way imaginable. Not only did the Niners get that victory, but they dropped a piano on a two-loss Jaguars team, dominating every facet of a 31-point blowout that vaulted the team back into Moton's top five." — NFL Staff
Pro Football Network
Current Ranking: 6
Previous Rank: 10
"That is certainly one way to get back on track. The 49ers absolutely dominated the Jaguars Sunday. They looked like a completely different team with Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel back on the field with each other. And their defensive front was unbelievable against an underwhelming Jaguars offensive line." — Dalton Miller
Touchdown Wire
Current Ranking: 6
Previous Rank: 9
"That was quite the way to end a three-game skid. Chase Young and Nick Bosa are already making miserable music for opposing linemen, and Deebo Samuel showed how much valuable he is in his return." — Jarrett Bailey