The 49ers didn’t play well enough to beat the Packers at Levi’s Stadium in Week 3, but the reasons for their loss underscored some potentially larger issues facing them moving forward. Their 30-28 defeat at the hands of Green Bay dropped San Francisco four spots to No. 15 in the USA TODAY power rankings. But now the real tests begin.
While the last couple weeks haven’t gone San Francisco’s way offensively, and their defense has been whittled down to a shell of the dominant unit from two seasons ago, there is an immediate chance for the 49ers to climb out of the hole of mediocrity they’ve dug themselves into. Via USA TODAY’s Nate Davis:
If they’re going to remain average while running the ball and defensively, they’re not going to return to Super Bowl contention. Hosting the Seahawks and visiting the Cardinals over the next two weeks should be a good litmus test.
Part of the reason alarm bells are sounding in Santa Clara after a 2-1 start is that this is supposed to be a Super Bowl team. The last two weeks they haven’t much fit that bill. Their offense scuffled against both Philadelphia and Green Bay, and their defense let them down against the Packers. They have a winning record but they’re not going to win a championship playing the way they have.
The good news for the 49ers is the next two weeks present a couple opportunities to climb back into that conversation. Divisional matchups against the Seahawks and Cardinals offer a chance for San Francisco to get a leg up in the division race and prove they belong at the top of the best division in football.
If the 49ers emerge from the next two weeks at 4-1, it means they’ve started stabilizing on both sides of the ball and should launch themselves back into the ‘contender’ conversation.