The San Francisco 49ers are coming off an embarrassing 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, dropping them to 3-4 on the season. Quarterback Brock Purdy struggled without several of his top offensive weapons. While he managed to throw for 212 yards and rush for two touchdowns, Purdy also threw three costly interceptions, ending the game with a career-low 36.7 passer rating as a starter.
Purdy's performance was hindered by the absence of wide receivers Jauan Jennings, who is nursing a hip injury, and Deebo Samuel, who played only a few snaps before being sidelined by an illness. To make matters worse, Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury, further depleting the 49ers' receiving corps.
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San Francisco now looks to rebound in a critical Week 8 rivalry matchup against the 3-3 Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week but still reeling from a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 6. With their playoff hopes on the line, the 49ers must find a way to overcome their recent setbacks.
What does the national media think about the 49ers compared to the rest of the league? Below is a sample of some of the most prominent power rankings from around the web, showing where San Francisco currently stands in each. As always, the highest rankings are listed first.
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 8
"Amari Cooper being moved to Buffalo leaves a significant chip off the table for Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers, though I wonder if the middle part of this season will be more about Shanahan seeing how Brock Purdy can handle the long stretch without many of his top weapons (we say this like George Kittle hasn't been outstanding this year). While this isn't anything a 49ers fan is interested in hearing, this team has had regrouping seasons before and it's best to have a full evaluation on Purdy before pulling the trigger on that $60 million extension." — Conor Orr
The Ringer
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 7
"Monday brought official news that Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending ACL and MCL injury. Coming off of their disappointing loss to the Chiefs, it's hard not to wonder whether San Francisco's Super Bowl window is now fully shut, even if Kyle Shanahan is undoubtedly one of the five best head coaches in the NFL today. That his team still hovers around .500 after all of the injuries it endured in the first seven weeks of the season is a feat unto itself. But it's time to start thinking about next year and what that roster might look like around quarterback Brock Purdy, who will be eligible for a contract extension. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch masterfully held their championship window open for longer than is usual in the NFL, but it feels like this regime just ran out of moves." — Diante Lee
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 7
"The 49ers can survive Brandon Aiyuk's season-ending knee injury. Jauan Jennings is a good player, and Ricky Pearsall was a first-round draft pick for a reason. But this season already isn't going how the 49ers hoped, and losing a receiver they thought was worth $30 million a season isn't great news." — Frank Schwab
ESPN
Current Ranking: 13
Preseason Ranking: 10
"Young riser: OL Dominick Puni. Puni walked into San Francisco and immediately staked his claim to the starting right guard job. It's a position that has been a weakness for much of coach Kyle Shanahan's tenure since 2017, but Puni, 24, has shown early signs of being the solution. There have been hiccups along the way, but he has a 94.5% pass block win rate (11th among all guards), a 73.1% run block win rate (20th) and should continue to improve. That would be significant for an offensive line that desperately needs an influx of quality, cost-controlled talent." — Nick Wagoner
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 13
Previous Ranking: 12
"The 49ers are getting decimated by key injuries to their receivers, which is hurting Brock Purdy in terms of having enough targets to trust. The banged-up running game and defense aren't built to save them right now." — Vinnie Iyer
Current Ranking: 14
Previous Ranking: 8
"Is it time to be concerned about the San Francisco 49ers? They are now below .500 and have a difficult schedule. The loss of Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL) will be a big one, but the hope is that Deebo Samuel and [Jauan] Jennings will return for Week 8 when they host the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The 49ers play in a relatively weak division, so their poor record won't hurt them too much. However, this team does not resemble their 2023 self at all." — Marcus Mosher
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 14
Previous Ranking: 13
"At some point, the dam is going to break in San Francisco. That time may be now.
With running back Christian McCaffrey still having not played this season and wide receivers Deebo Samuel (illness) and Jauan Jennings (hip) also out, the absolute last thing San Francisco needed was for something to happen to wideout Brandon Aiyuk. That's exactly what happened against the Chiefs on Sunday. After taking a shot to the knee, Aiyuk was carted to the locker room with what is believed to be a torn ACL. With his pass-catchers ravaged by injuries, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy pressed the action. The result was three interceptions and a 10-point loss that dropped the defending NFC champions below .500. ... The Niners now have to prepare for a similarly desperate Dallas Cowboys team with an offense that has become dangerously short-handed." — Gary Davenport
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 10
"Are the 49ers in trouble? They've beaten only one team with a winning record. Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Christian McCaffrey remains on injured reserve. The defense is 16th in the league in points allowed (22.6). Even Brock Purdy looks human. The quarterback posted a 36.7 passer rating, the lowest in his career as a starter. Purdy had a 30.1 passer rating in a game in 2022, also against Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo." — Josh Kendall
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 11
"They have had too many injuries to be considered a Super contender now. The latest with the loss of receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the year really is another damning blow." — Pete Prisco
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 15
Previous Ranking: 12
"If they don't start stacking wins soon this year, maybe they never will." — Mike Florio
Current Ranking: 16
Previous Ranking: 14
"The difference right now between the Chiefs and 49ers was made clear on Sunday. The Chiefs can survive a poor-production game from their quarterback against a quality foe; the 49ers seemingly cannot. Not having Deebo Samuel due to illness and losing Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending knee injury were two big blows, along with all the other injuries piling up, but no matter who is or isn't out there, the Niners can't have too many more three-pick games from Brock Purdy and expect to win. They were deficient in all three phases of the game, even with a respectable defensive performance against the Chiefs for much of the day. This game ultimately won't decide their season, as frustrating as losing again to the Chiefs must be, but the 49ers dipped below .500 and face a win-or-else game against Dallas before the bye mercifully comes." — Eric Edholm
USA Today
Current Ranking: 17
Previous Ranking: 12
"With WR Brandon Aiyuk lost to a season-ending ACL injury, it's now apparent this crew will never be whole in what is something of a 'The Last Dance' situation. Depending on which wideouts can answer the bell in Week 8 against Dallas, the Niners might be relying on the likes of rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing." — Nate Davis
