The San Francisco 49ers received some extra rest thanks to playing on a Thursday night. The team returns to the practice field this afternoon to prepare for its next opponent, the Washington Commanders.
The red-hot 49ers are the winners of seven consecutive games, winning the last three with a rookie quarterback, Brock Purdy, at the helm of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. San Francisco has overcome some key injuries, like the season-ending losses of two quarterbacks, Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, and the temporary loss of wide receiver Deebo Samuel. That is thanks to the league's top-ranked defense and some playmaking assets on offense, like running back Christian McCaffrey.
Last week's win clinched the NFC West crown for the 49ers for only the second time in Shanahan's six seasons with the team. After Washington, losers to the New York Giants on Sunday night, San Francisco will travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders and then host the Arizona Cardinals to close out the regular season.
It's time to look at what the national media thinks about the 49ers as Shanahan and his team head into the final stretch of the regular season.
Below is a sample of some of the more prominent power rankings around the web and where San Francisco currently stands within each. The highest rankings are listed first.
Current Ranking: 2
Previous rank: 2
"Brock Purdy has been tested twice, and the rookie has aced both exams with flying colors. It's a best-case scenario for the 49ers, who initially profiled as would-be Super Bowl contenders ruined by bad injury luck after Jimmy Garoppolo was lost to a broken foot in Week 13. Instead, Purdy has kept the offense efficient and productive while the defense continues to squeeze the life out of its opponents. Geno Smith and the Seahawks found that out the hard way on Thursday, as the Seattle quarterback was sacked three times and hounded relentlessly by a savage San Fran pass rush. Winners of seven straight, the Niners are NFC West champs for the first time since 2019." — Dan Hanzus
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 3
Previous rank: 2
"The 49ers looked as impenetrable as ever in a somewhat narrow win over the Seahawks. When they absolutely had to manufacture yardage on the ground to ice the game, they did. By the way, this team has not lost a game since before Halloween. Are we going to get an ugly Brock Purdy start out of the way before the playoffs? Does an ugly Brock Purdy start even exist in this offense?" — Conor Orr
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 4
Previous rank: 5
"Their golden helmets looked extra shiny last Thursday night. They may be shining a silver trophy on a Sunday night in February." — Mike Florio
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 4
Previous rank: 4
"The 49ers came out with the right run-heavy game plan with Christian McCaffrey against the Seahawks and let the defense go into domination mode again, making things easier for Brock Purdy. The reward was the NFC West title with now bigger aspirations in tow." — Vinnie Iyer
USA Today
Current Ranking: 4
Previous rank: 6
"During the course of their league-best seven-game winning streak, NFC West titlists have allowed an average of 11 points. As great as rookie Brock Purdy has been, Brock Lesnar could play quarterback here and this group would still be rolling." — Nate Davis
Current Ranking: 4
Previous rank: 5
"The 49ers have the division clinched, and now they're in a weird place. They have almost no chance to get the No. 1 seed. Improving the seed might not even be good news — you're probably trying to avoid the Lions, if they make it, and the No. 2 seed could end up meeting No. 7 seed Detroit. They'll want to stay sharp but the next important game the 49ers play will probably be at home in the playoffs." — Frank Schwab
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 5
Previous rank: 5
"The legend of Brock Purdy continues to grow, as the seventh-round rookie threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers' Thursday night win over the Seahawks that clinched the NFC West title. With what looks like a manageable end-of-season slate, it seems reasonable to believe Purdy could be 5-0 as a starter entering the playoffs as the Niners chase the No. 2 seed (or even the No. 1 seed, if Philadelphia falls apart). Still, their No. 1-ranked defense (by DVOA) is likely to determine their playoff fate." — Bo Wulf
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 5
Previous rank: 6
"That the San Francisco 49ers have kept on winning with Brock Purdy under center is impressive enough in and of itself. But it's doubly so when you consider that Purdy is a seventh-round rookie. In fact, he was "Mr. Irrelevant"—the final pick in the 2022 draft. ... Purdy now has three weeks to ready himself for the playoffs. And if he fares well there, this could be a very interesting offseason in San Francisco." — NFL Staff
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 5
Previous rank: 6
"The defense is so good that it can get this team to a Super Bowl, even with Brock Purdy. They look like they play with 12 guys on the field on defense." — Pete Prisco
ESPN
Current Ranking: 5
Previous rank: 5
"Greenlaw had been a solid player when healthy in his first three NFL seasons. However, he missed 17 games over the past two seasons and it was unclear whether he would ever take the next step. With three games left this season, it's safe to say Greenlaw has taken more of a leap forward. He leads the Niners in tackles (111) and has 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception and 7 pass breakups. Fred Warner rightfully gets much of the credit for leading San Francisco's defense, but Greenlaw has enjoyed a breakout season that has thrust his name into the conversation of the league's best off-ball linebacker." — Nick Wagoner
Current Ranking: 5
Previous rank: 6
"Excluding his pass to the chest of Seattle defensive back Quandre Diggs's chest, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy put together a strong performance in his team's Week 15 win over the Seahawks. The seventh-round rookie is now the 11th-ranked quarterback in EPA per dropback since Week 13 and is 2-0 as a starter. The positives are that he's a confident passer, is generally very accurate, and is more mobile than Jimmy Garoppolo. However, experience is still an obvious issue, as is just how little Kyle Shanahan is trusting Purdy to push the ball downfield. His average depth of target in the past three weeks is just 5.50, the second-lowest mark of any quarterback with 45-plus dropbacks since Week 13. He's also thrown just three passes more than 20 yards in the air, which is an NFL low in that three-week span." — Austin Gayle
