Tag: NFL Standings

49ers on the wrong side of mediocrity in USA TODAY NFL power rankings

A steep fall for the 49ers in the USA TODAY power rankings:

The San Francisco 49ers can’t get the benefit of the doubt any longer. This year’s club hasn’t been able to flip the proverbial switch after a slow start, and the problems that plagued them through the first 10 weeks cropped up again in another dreary loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

USA TODAY’s NFL power rankings acted accordingly and dropped the 49ers all the way out of the top half of the league and into No. 18 overall – a well-earned seven-place dip from No. 11 where they resided after a Week 10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Perhaps the 49ers do have a switch to flip and they do so with their backs against the wall and a brutal stretch coming up where they visit the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills in back-to-back weeks. If they fight their way out of the 5-5 corner they’re backed into and get a couple wins over two playoff teams, then we can revisit their place in the NFL hierarchy.

Linebacker Fred Warner summed it up after the team’s 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

“Yeah, it’s not like us,” Warner said of the team’s penchant for face-planting in crucial situations. “But that’s what we’ve shown this year, so I guess until we stop doing that, that’s who we are.”

The 49ers are 5-5, last place in their division and on the outside looking in at the NFC playoff picture. Pedigree doesn’t count for anything in the postseason formula, and until they prove they’re that caliber of team, they deserve to plummet into the range of mediocrity in the power rankings.

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NFL standings highlight why 49ers loss to Seahawks was so damaging

The 49ers are in last in the NFC West … yikes.

The San Francisco 49ers looked primed to fight their way back to the playoffs like they have multiple times after slow starts under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

They entered Week 11 at 5-4, and a win over the Seattle Seahawks would have put them in a tie for the NFC West and nipping at the heels of a wild card spot if their division hopes fell short.

Instead, they lost 20-17 at Levi’s Stadium and made what was a relatively clear path to the postseason a lot more cloudy.

Here is where the 49ers sit in the NFC West after Sunday:

1. Cardinals (6-4)
2. Rams (5-5)
3. Seahawks (5-5)
4. 49ers (5-5)

While on the surface this doesn’t look so bad, we have to factor in the reality that the 49ers aren’t playing well enough to believe they’ll win the rest of their games. If they did do that, they’d be in a great spot.

Unfortunately this season has shown us these aren’t the 49ers teams of recent history (read: last season).

So what we have is a team that now at best can split with every team in the division. If they do that they’ll be 3-3 overall in the NFC West. The problem with that is division record is the first tiebreaker after head-to-head matchups. In our scenario the 49ers would go to the division record with any team they tie with, and 3-3 isn’t likely going to cut it.

To win the NFC West the 49ers will now have to go on such a tear that they avoid a tie breaking scenario. Given the struggles this club has dealt with since Week 2, we’re not ready to bank on that just yet.

Perhaps there’s a run in them. Maybe injuries hit other teams or they start playing poorly later in the year and the 49ers scoop up a slew of wins in the final seven games. That would change the calculus.

Where they sit after a Week 11 defeat against the Seahawks, however, the path to the postseason by way of winning the division looks darker than it has in a long time.

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NFL playoff picture, Week 11: Dolphins back in the mix

The Dolphins are creeping their way up the standings in the AFC.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Miami Dolphins earned a second straight win Sunday with a surgical dissection of the Las Vegas Raiders. The 34-19 victory improved the Dolphins’ record to 4-6 and kept the team in the mix for a playoff spot.

While there’s still work to be done for Miami, the team is hot on the heels of other teams in the AFC that are vying for one of the conference’s seven postseason berths.

But unfortunately for the Dolphins, not much ground was given up by the teams ahead of them. With Week 11 in the books, here’s how the AFC standings stack up:

  1. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-1 (30-21 loss vs. Bills)
  2. Buffalo Bills: 9-2 (30-21 win vs. Chiefs)
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-2 (18-16 win vs. Ravens)
  4. Houston Texans: 7-4 (34-10 win vs. Cowboys)
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 7-3 (34-27 win vs. Bengals)
  6. Baltimore Ravens: 7-4 (18-16 loss vs. Steelers)
  7. Denver Broncos: 6-5 (38-6 win vs. Falcons)
  • Indianapolis Colts: 5-6 (28-27 win vs. Jets)
  • Miami Dolphins: 4-6 (31-19 win vs. Raiders)
  • Cincinnati Bengals: 4-7 (34-27 loss vs. Chargers)

The six AFC teams not listed all have at least eight losses.

What may loom large at the end of the year is the Dolphins’ 16-10 loss to the Colts in October. However, if Miami keeps winning, those tiebreaking consequences could be left in the dust if Indianapolis picks up more losses.

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Importance of 49ers Week 10 win illustrated in USA TODAY NFL power rankings

Week 10 wasn’t pretty, but it was enough to push the 49ers way up the NFL power rankings.

It may not have looked exactly how they wanted it to look, but the San Francisco 49ers secured an important 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.

There’s plenty for the 49ers to iron out, particularly on special teams where a muffed punt and a trio of missed field goals changed the tenor of Sunday’s game. However, their victory was crucial for keeping pace in the NFC West and NFC playoff races.

A good illustrator of just how important their Week 10 win was comes via the USA TODAY NFL power rankings. San Francisco entered the week at No. 16, but finished at No. 11, one spot behind the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals.

While they didn’t play their best football in Week 10, there are reasons to believe better play is coming given their post-Bye history under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Via USA TODAY’s Nate Davis:

Their post-bye record in 2024 (with RB Christian McCaffrey) is 1-0. Their post-bye record since 2021 is 31-9.

This is a nice stat that should provide some optimism for 49ers fans. However, the 2024 season hasn’t been great through 10 weeks and the team hasn’t shown the ability to flip a switch and dominate a game for 60 minutes.

Cutting down on self-inflicted wounds could quickly set the 49ers up as a Super Bowl contender once again. If they continue making those mistakes, they won’t be a team hanging around the top 10 much longer with games coming up against NFC West rival Seattle, the No. 9 Green Bay Packers and No. 4 Buffalo Bills.

If the 49ers are going to be a contender this year, they’ll have to prove it in this stretch.

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NFC playoff picture highlights why Week 10 win was vital for 49ers

The 49ers so badly needed that win over the Buccaneers. Peep the standings.

The San Francisco 49ers’ Week 10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t be confused for a football masterclass.

San Francisco missed three field goals, muffed a punt, went one-for-three in the red zone and committed four defensive penalties for 39 yards on Tampa Bay’s game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter.

While the victory might have left some scratching their heads about how good this 49ers team is, they needed to get a win to stick around in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt.

They got a little help from the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. They dropped the Los Angeles Rams 23-15 and moved them to 4-5 on the season. It leaves the NFC West standings looking like this after 10 weeks:

1. Cardinals (6-4)
2. 49ers (5-4)
3. Rams (4-5)
4. Seahawks (4-5)

A 49ers loss would have kept them in third place and even further behind the Arizona Cardinals for the division lead, and Arizona has a relatively soft schedule coming up after their Week 11 Bye. Keeping pace with them was a big deal for the 49ers.

San Francisco also climbed up the overall NFC playoff picture. They’re still not in the top seven, but a wild card spot seems far more attainable now than it would’ve had they dropped Sunday’s game in Tampa Bay.

At 5-4, the 49ers sit one game behind the Green Bay Packers for the seventh and final playoff spot. Here’s what the NFC playoff picture looks like after Week 10:

1. Lions (8-1)
2. Eagles (7-2)
3. Falcons (6-4)
4. Cardinals (6-4)
5. Vikings (7-2)
6. Commanders (7-3)
7. Packers (6-3)

8. 49ers (5-4)
9. Bears (4-5)
10. Rams (4-5)
11. Seahawks (4-5)

It’s not exactly where the 49ers wanted to be, but winning in Week 10 put them in position to make a run, and gave themselves a little bit of margin for error if they drop one of their upcoming games against the Seahawks, Packers or Bills.

Sunday might not have been pretty, but the 49ers got a win they needed. Now they need to find ways to play better down the stretch to take advantage of the spot they’re in entering Week 11.

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Almost every game went the Dolphins’ way Sunday

The Dolphins are looking for their first win in over a month, yet the lackluster AFC is keeping them alive.

The Miami Dolphins are 2-6 and riding a three-game losing streak. But thanks to a mediocre list of contenders in the AFC, a run to the postseason isn’t that far-fetched for Mike McDaniel and company.

Regardless of the result of the Dolphins’ Monday night matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, there will be just six teams in the AFC above .500 when Week 11 begins.

While keeping up with the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East race doesn’t look like a realistic scenario for the Dolphins, catching the Denver Broncos for the last spot in the playoff field isn’t inconceivable. Especially after a nearly perfect day of results for Miami on Sunday.

The Chiefs knocked Denver down to 5-5, the Bills dropped the Colts to 4-6, and neither the Jets nor the Jaguars were able to get a win to climb back into the mix. Couple those scores with the Bengals falling to 4-6 with a Thursday loss to the Ravens, and the Dolphins couldn’t have asked for the table to be set much better.

Perhaps in an absolutely ideal world, the Commanders would’ve kept the Steelers from picking up a seventh win, the Bears would’ve kept the Patriots firmly in last place in the AFC East, and the Titans would’ve dropped the Chargers to 5-4.

Regardless, here’s what the AFC standings look like after Sunday:

  1. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-0
  2. Buffalo Bills: 8-2
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-2
  4. Houston Texans: 6-3
  5. Baltimore Ravens: 7-3
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: 6-3
  7. Denver Broncos: 5-5
  • Indianapolis Colts: 4-6
  • Cincinnati Bengals: 4-6
  • New York Jets: 3-7
  • New England Patriots: 3-7
  • Miami Dolphins: 2-6

With a victory, Miami would slide up to 10th on the list and sit a game and a half behind the Broncos. Of course, the postseason ramifications will quickly stop mattering if the Dolphins can’t end their losing streak.

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NFC playoff picture after Week 9 Sunday games: Everyone looking up at the Lions

NFC playoff picture after Week 9 Sunday games: Everyone looking up at the Lions

With one game left in Week 9, the NFL regular season is just about halfway in the books. As it stands coming out of Week 9, the road to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans runs through Ford Field.

The 7-1 Detroit Lions remain with the best record in the NFC following their 24-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers. They come out of Week 9 with a one-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings, who defeated the Indianapolis Colts to move to 6-2. The Lions own a head-to-head victory over the Vikings. The second meeting comes in Week 18.

Green Bay sits in third place in the division at 6-3, a testament to how strong the division still is. All four teams are at least .500. The Chicago Bears fell to 4-4 following their 29-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday.

Current NFC North standings

1. Detroit Lions 7-1
2. Minnesota Vikings 6-2
3. Green Bay Packers 6-3
4. Chicago Bears 4-4

Looking at the full playoff picture, the Lions hold the No. 1 seed by a half-game over the 7-2 Washington Commanders, arguably the biggest surprise of the first half of the season thanks to Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jayden Daniels.

In total, six teams have at least six wins through nine weeks. In addition to the three NFC North teams and the Commanders, the Atlanta Falcons (6-3) and Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) also have six wins. The Cardinals are the only other team with at least five wins, though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can join them Monday if they pull off the upset of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Current NFC playoff standings

1. Detroit Lions 7-1
2. Washington Commanders 7-2
3. Atlanta Falcons 6-3
4. Arizona Cardinals 5-4
5. Minnesota Vikings 6-2
6. Philadelphia Eagles 6-2
7. Green Bay Packers 6-3

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-4
9. Chicago Bears 4-4
10. Los Angeles Rams 4-4
11. San Francisco 49ers 4-4
12. Seattle Seahawks 4-5
13. Dallas Cowboys 3-5
14. Carolina Panthers 2-7
15. New Orleans Saints 2-7
16. New York Giants 2-7

Week 9 NFL scores were mostly bad news for 49ers

Week 9 scores weren’t kind to the 49ers …

The San Francisco 49ers got to sit back and watch Week 9 NFL action and hope for some beneficial results.

They got mostly bad news as the dust settled on Sunday’s slate of games, and they didn’t move up or down in the NFC West.

In some bad news, the Arizona Cardinals throttled the Chicago Bears 29-9 in Arizona. That victory moved the Cardinals to 5-4 overall, putting them a full game up on the 49ers in the division with the head-to-head tiebreaker in hand at least until they play again in Week 18.

In more neutral news, the Seattle Seahawks took a loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle is now in last in the division at 4-5, while the Rams moved to 4-4 and into a tie for second place with the 49ers. LA is technically ahead of the 49ers because they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

With the win by the Cardinals, the 49ers were locked in to third place in the division. At 5-4, Arizona was guaranteed to hold at least a share of first place, but the Rams-Seahawks loser was going to end up in last place with the 4-4 49ers holding firm in third.

We can also virtually rule out any chance of San Francisco securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season after the Detroit Lions obliterated the Green Bay Packers 24-14 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score. Detroit is now 7-1 overall and doesn’t seem primed to lose as many games as they’ll need to lose for the 49ers to eclipse them.

The rest of this season is officially about the NFC West for the 49ers since they’re now fighting uphill for the division. Seeding may matter down the line, but for now their four losses are two more than four of the seven playoff teams.

San Francisco will be in action on the road in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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49ers big win over Cowboys didn’t move them in NFL power rankings

Win over the Cowboys didn’t help the 49ers much in the USA TODAY power rankings.

The San Francisco 49ers needed to beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 to put themselves on more solid footing heading into their Bye week.

While the 30-24 victory at Levi’s Stadium helped the 49ers in the standings, it didn’t do much for them in the USA TODAY NFL power rankings. San Francisco entered the week as the No. 17 team. Their win over the scuffling Cowboys moved them up to No. 16, behind the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals.

It’s hard to argue that the 49ers belong much higher.

Trying to order the NFC West is nigh impossible, but both the Rams and Cardinals have wins over the 49ers, and the Rams are getting healthier at wide receiver with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua both returning.

The fact of the matter for the 49ers is that through eight weeks, they’re a middling NFL team. They have a ceiling much higher than that, and if they get on a roll after the Bye we should see them skyrocket in the power rankings to get back into the tier of Super Bowl contender.

For now, they’re in the middle of the pack because of too many mistakes in big moments that have left them 1-2 in their division and tied with the Seattle Seahawks and the Cardinals for the top spot in the NFC West.

Christian McCaffrey’s return should help, but they need to start stringing wins together with some frequency if they want to re-earn their place in the Super Bowl conversation.

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49ers have to use trade deadline to separate from jam-packed NFC West

It’s trade time for the 49ers … look no further than the jam-packed NFC West for proof:

Part of the reason the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys was so massive is because of their place in the NFC West.

Had the 49ers lost to Dallas on Sunday night it would have dropped them to last place in the division, a half game below the 3-4 Los Angeles Rams. Instead, they won and put themselves in the thick of a logjam at the top.

Coming out of Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals lead the NFC West by way of head-to-head tiebreakers with the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers. All three teams are 4-4 after eight weeks.

The 49ers are in second place thanks to their head-to-head victory over the Seahawks.

Seattle is in third with the Rams bringing up the rear only a half game back of the 4-4 trio.

It’s clear, as currently constructed, the 49ers are going to be in a dogfight to reclaim the NFC West crown. They’ve struggled to close out games. Their injury situation has left them digging deep into their roster, and through half a season they don’t appear to be a Super Bowl contender.

Running back Christian McCaffrey’s return at some point after their Week 9 Bye will be helpful. However, the trade deadline is where the 49ers can create some real separation.

Neither the Seahawks nor Cardinals are likely to fancy themselves Super Bowl contenders. Both teams have been good, but the expectations for those clubs are significantly different than they are for the 49ers. There’s urgency in San Francisco that may not be felt in Seattle or Arizona.

The 49ers have a couple of clear needs to address at the deadline, and their front office during the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era hasn’t been shy about being aggressive.

Part of their need to make a move at the deadline is because they need to contend with the likes of Detroit, Kansas City and other Super Bowl contenders. The other part is creating some distance from the rest of their division.

San Francisco should be the best team in the NFC West. Approaching the deadline, they’re not. A couple of trades to shore up some of their issues on either side of the ball should help them re-establish dominance in the division in time to make a run and leave the rest of the logjam behind them.

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