The 49ers’ loss to the Ravens seemed to cement their status as a bona fide Super Bowl contender. They took the AFC’s top-seeded team to the final seconds, and made them kick a 49-yard field goal in the closing seconds to earn a 20-17 victory. A strong showing against the NFL Wire’s No. 1-ranked team wasn’t enough to keep the 49ers at the No. 2 spot. Instead, they tumbled back two spots to No. 4, behind the Saints and Seahawks.
It would’ve made sense for San Francisco to stay in second since they were a play or two away from knocking off the Ravens and jumping to the No. 1 spot they once occupied.
Instead, they’ll have to battle their way back to the top over two teams they face in the final four games. San Francisco is in New Orleans in Week 14, then they’re in Seattle for the final week of the season. Last week we wrote about how the NFL Wire power rankings were going to reflect the 49ers’ chase for a playoff spot. That’s even more true following their loss to the Ravens.
If San Francisco is going to get back to the top spot by the end of the year, it’s going to require taking down New Orleans and Seattle. Any slip up over the final few weeks for the 49ers probably pushes them permanently into a Wild Card spot, forcing them to go on the road for at least two, and more than likely three playoff games if they’re going to make it to Super Bowl LIV. No team has gotten to the Super Bowl without a first-round bye since the Ravens in the 2012 season.
Power rankings don’t play a role in the playoff standings, but in the 49ers’ instance, they’re extremely indicative of where the team is in the NFL hierarchy with four weeks to go. The good news is, they have a chance to prove they should’ve been in the top two all along, and they’re four wins from doing so and resting the first week of the postseason.