By admin 
If the San Francisco 49ers needed to make a statement and validate themselves after starting this season 4-0, they did exactly that on Sunday. They outlasted the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on the road, 32-29, and as has often been the case in big wins for them over the years, their defense led the way.
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Other than their many injuries, the Niners are looking outstanding, and their outlook for the foreseeable future seems excellent. They will host the Washington Commanders next Monday and visit the Atlanta Falcons the following Sunday before getting their bye in Week 8.
Right now, no team in football is playing better than the Red and Gold, a fact that is reflected in various power rankings across the media landscape.
ESPN
ESPN NFL Nation has kept the Niners in the No. 1 spot in its power rankings going into Week 6. However, Nick Wagoner pointed out that they have had issues stopping teams defensively in third-down situations.
“Under new coordinator Raheem Morris, the Niners rank fifth in yards per play allowed (4.7) and have limited big plays as well as any team in the league,” Wagoner wrote. “But they have struggled to get off the field consistently. The Niners rank 20th in third-down defense, giving up a first down on 40.8% of their opportunities. As a result, their defense has been on the field for 31 minutes, 12 seconds per game, which ranks 23rd in the NFL.”
On the other hand, San Francisco only allowed the Seahawks to convert on three of 12 third downs on Sunday. With the game hanging in the balance in the final moments, San Francisco left Jaxon Smith-Njigba open, but he was unable to haul in a pass from quarterback Sam Darnold on a third-and-10. On the Seahawks’ next snap, Cooper Kupp caught a pass from Darnold, and as he went out of bounds, he tried to extend his arm out to get a first down, but he was marked just short.
The Athletic
Chad Graff and Josh Kendall of The Athletic also have San Francisco in the No. 1 spot of their power rankings. The team was also No. 1 in the outlet’s power rankings last week.
“No team has a better resume than the 49ers, who overcame a rare so-so game from Brock Purdy in Seattle,” Graff and Kendall wrote. “This time, it was San Francisco’s defense that led the way, limiting the Seahawks to just 4.2 yards per play. Oh, and Mike Evans and George Kittle certainly do not look like they are 33 years old.”
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Sports Illustrated
Last week, Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated had the Niners at No. 5. This week, they have moved into the top spot, and Orr pointed out one advantage they have that isn’t talked about much.
“The 49ers lead the league in wins…and players who are on injured reserve,” Orr wrote. “I heard a theory on Monday while making calls that stuck with me: the teams that are at the biggest advantage in the NFL are the ones with continuity at head coach, playcaller and quarterback over a multi-year period, especially during a season in which 10 head coaching jobs shifted this offseason. The steadiness of the [Kyle] Shanahan-Purdy partnership is shining.”
Purdy completed 19 of his 29 passing attempts for 189 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on Sunday versus Seattle. He came through in the fourth quarter by leading two successful offensive drives, the first of which resulted in a touchdown and a two-point conversion, and the second of which resulted in a made field goal.
NFL.com
Nick Shook of NFL.com kept the 49ers at No. 1 in his power rankings this week, and he gave their defense some real praise.
“There’s something special cooking within San Francisco’s defense, a unit that has every excuse to be average, at best, but continues to exceed expectations,” Shook wrote. “While the final score (32-29) doesn’t suggest it, Sunday’s win in Seattle was a defense-driven victory — and a big one for the team’s confidence as a true Super Bowl contender.”
Despite not having defensive ends Nick Bosa and Sam Okuayinonu and defensive tackles CJ West and Alfred Collins, the Niners have continued to consistently get stops when they have needed to. They currently rank third in points allowed, sixth in total yards given up and fourth in first downs surrendered.
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This story was originally published October 13, 2026 at 9:29 PM.