NFL power rankings: Where 49ers sit after loss to Bills originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Thanksgiving week in the NFL, a tradition like no other.
After eating ungodly amounts of food, we willingly decide to sit around and watch some of the worst teams in the league play some of the best.
You have the choice between watching Drew Lock vs. Cooper Rush, Matt Eberflus trying to coach a football game and a matchup between the defending champions and a team competing for the No. 1 pick the next night.
For example, I was grateful for the weekend’s series of games.
Here the 49ers sit after a 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills and heading into “Monday Night Football.”
32. New York Giants (Last week: 32)
Record: 2-10
Please tell me you didn’t sit on the couch with your family on Thanksgiving and willingly watch Lock vs. Rush watched. It’s better to have a political debate with that one uncle. It’s a three-horse race for the No. 1 pick.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 31)
Record: 2-10
A scary goal led to the untimely departure of Trevor Lawrence. After returning to the field for the first time in three weeks, it appears he could miss more time. A very unhappy season continues.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (Last week: 30)
Record: 2-10
Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and the Raiders (no matter how terrible) playing the Chiefs well. I don’t know how they keep doing it – or even close to doing it – but they are so close to being Patrick Mahomes’ Kryptonite.
29. New England Patriots (Last week: 27)
Balance: 3-10
Drake Maye is having a productive rookie season, the team is competitive most weeks and they are losing games. What more can you ask for as a reconstruction team?
28. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 28)
Balance: 3-9
Amazingly, the loss wasn’t Will Levis’ fault. Their defense has just been absolutely destroyed.
27. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 26)
Balance: 3-8 (Monday evening football)
Jameis Winston might throw two or three picks against a very good Denver defense on Monday night, but at least he’ll have fun with it.
26. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 29)
Balance: 3-9
Bryce Young is doing his best and deserves to reap the rewards of the high draft pick this team should have next spring. His turnaround in the second half is something out of a movie. Perhaps the best story of the season.
25. New York Jets (Last week: 25)
Balance: 3-9
I don’t think Aaron Rodgers can do anything on the field right now that could negatively impact his legacy. It was cemented before leaving Green Bay. But man, these two seasons in New York couldn’t have been a bigger disaster.
24. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 23)
Balance: 4-8
Derek Carr just can’t express it like he used to. Your mini winning streak hasn’t fooled anyone. Back to the bottom third of the league where you belong.
23. Chicago Bears (Last week: 20)
Balance: 4-8
The firing of Matt Eberflus after another tough, heartbreaking loss won’t solve the pain and suffering Bears fans have experienced time and time again this season, but it should at least give them a glimmer of optimism about the team’s future , right?
22. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 24)
Balance: 5-7
This team is going to do everything they can to finish the season at .500, right? Of course not, but they certainly could have used this version of Rico Dowdle sooner.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 22)
Balance: 4-8
Joe Burrow is going to put up the best numbers of his career, and it doesn’t matter at all. Stick a fork in Cincy and they’re done.
20. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 19)
Balance: 5-7
They really needed this win, but it should come as no surprise that Miami couldn’t hang on to the Frozen Tundra. Their path to the playoffs isn’t impossible, but it’s pretty unlikely at this point.
19. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 18)
Balance: 5-7
As if 49ers fans needed another sign that the team was done, Christian McCaffrey suffered a serious knee injury. I’m officially putting a fork in San Francisco. The good news is that there is still a foundation to build on. Rework in the off season.
18. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 21)
Balance: 6-7
It was certainly not without mistakes, but a gritty performance from Anthony Richardson and an even more ballsy call from Shane Steichen at the end of the game.
17. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 17)
Balance: 6-6
They probably would have pulled off the upset if not for two expensive picks from Kyler Murray. This violation remains a huge disappointment.
16. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 13)
Balance: 6-6
It’s been a ROUGH performance lately for Kirk Cousins, who has zero touchdowns and six interceptions in his last three games. Atlanta hands the Bucs the division on a silver platter.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 16)
Balance: 6-6
Feed. Bucky. Irving. This match wasn’t supposed to be so close, but Baker Mayfield and Co. kept a motivated Carolina team from moving into a tie with Atlanta for first place in the NFC South.
14. Los Angeles Rams (Last week: 15)
Balance: 6-6
Matthew Stafford, similar to Jalen Hurts in the Eagles’ offense, has a fairly easy task when his star running back is running well. Complete quick attacks on the elite receiving core and let Kyren Williams do the heavy lifting.
13. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 14)
Balance: 7-5
They are the only NFC West team even remotely interested in winning the division. The defense has played exceptionally well lately.
12. Denver Broncos (Last week: 11)
Balance: 7-5 (Monday evening football)
Bo Nix has his flag firmly planted in the Rookie of the Year race and was able to keep pace with Jayden Daniels with a big showing on Monday night.
11. Washington Commanders (Last week: 12)
Balance: 8-5
Now this is the Jayden Daniels we were used to seeing earlier this season. The Titans are terrible overall, but their defense is decent, so this is an encouraging rebounding performance for the rookie.
10. Houston Texans (Last week: 10)
Balance: 8-5
It wasn’t exactly the smothering of a terrible Jags team, it should have been, even after Lawrence was out, but a win nonetheless. Also turnover-free.
9. Los Angeles Chargers (Last week: 9)
Balance: 8-4
While the Chargers may not have the flashy offensive weapons they need to be a legitimate championship contender, they certainly have the defense. Four interceptions, including a pick-six, will be enough.
8. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 6)
Balance: 8-5
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense are elite. The defense? Mediocre. Justin Tucker? A big responsibility at the moment. Nobody saw that coming.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 8)
Record: 9-3
I didn’t think Russell Wilson could still cook like that. Touche. If he has that in the bag, Pittsburgh can be pretty scary.
6. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 7)
Balance: 9-3
I don’t think they’ll take Detroit for the division, which is a shame because a home playoff game – or two, or three – in Lambeau would be great. They’ll probably have to settle for the wildcard team that no one wants to play against.
5. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 5)
Balance: 10-2
Sam Darnold went from “seeing ghosts” to seeing Justin Jefferson open across the middle of the field. Talk about an upgrade.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 4)
Balance: 10-2
Play plenty of defense, drink and dunk through the air and let Saquon Barkley run wild. Philly’s recipe for success is simple.
3. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 3)
Balance: 10-2
Josh Allen is built for this weather. What an absolute maniac this man is. The MVP race has a new leader.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 2)
Balance: 11-1
Another ugly victory over a much inferior opponent. Don’t get me wrong, finding ways to win games like this is important, but when it’s week after week… it raises eyebrows. It is not surprising that this is the first team to secure a play-off spot.
1. Detroit Lions (Last week: 1)
Balance: 11-1
For years, the Lions were the team no one wanted to watch on Thanksgiving. Boy, has that changed. The NFL’s best continue to roll after a nail-biter from the NFC North.
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
