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The 49ers’ ugly loss to the previously winless Eagles didn’t doom them in the NFL Wire power rankings. They fell only one spot from No. 11 to No. 12 thanks to a couple different strange circumstances.
The entire rankings were thrown out of whack with both the Titans and Raiders dropped to the bottom two spots thanks to COVID-19-related issues. The Titans had an outbreak that affected as many as 20 players and personnel because they didn’t follow protocols. The Raiders avoided an outbreak, but had players spotted at a fundraiser not following proper protocols.
Another saving grace for the 49ers in the rankings was their injury problem. Jimmy Garoppolo’s high ankle sprain forced him to miss Sunday night’s game against the Eagles. Nick Mullens struggled badly and was benched for third-string signal caller CJ Beathard.
While the 49ers are sitting at 2-2, they’ve done so with among the worst injury situations in the league. The power rankings simply didn’t overreact to one bad loss when it appears San Francisco will start getting healthier in Week 5. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is hopeful to get Garoppolo, running back Raheem Mostert and linebacker Dre Greenlaw back in practice and on the field for the first time since Week 2.
If San Francisco can get healthy, they’re going to be a dangerous team that hangs around the top 10 to 15 range throughout the season. If their injury issues persist, they’ll need more than a violation of COVID-19 protocols to stay in the top half.
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