NFL power rankings, Week 10: 49ers continue climbing in advance of Panthers matchup

The San Francisco 49ers are officially through their bye week, and getting ready for their Week 10 matchup with the 5-3 Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are the best team the 49ers have faced since their Week 3 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 49ers have won sizable victories in their last five games since losing to the Colts, but they haven't exactly faced top of the line competition. At the same time, there is something to be said for beating down inferior opponents. Football Outsiders studied big victories against bad opponents and its predictive powers. Somebody posted a link to it a week or two ago, but I can't find the link to it at this point. If anybody remembers it, drop a link in here.

The point being, this 49ers team is playing extremely well. Add in the return of Mario Manningham, and the potential debuts of Eric Wright and Tank Carradine, and it's "arrow up" time in San Francisco.

The latest round of NFL power rankings are out, and the 49ers continue to trend up. In this small selection of three rankings, the 49ers climbed up one spot in each ranking. SB Nation and MLive.com have the Panthers in their top ten, while Prisco has the Panthers at No. 11. This game is a big test for both teams. For the 49ers, can they continue their offensive surge against a stout Panthers defense, and can they contain Cam Newton. For the Panthers, can they continue what they've been doing against a big boy rushing attack, and the 49ers strong defense. This has a chance to be a really great game, although I do hope the 49ers end any suspense early.

SB Nation NFL

1. Denver Broncos
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Kansas City Chiefs
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. Carolina Panthers
7. New England Patriots
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Detroit Lions
10. Cincinnati Bengals

CBS Sports (Prisco)

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. Denver Broncos
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. New England Patriots
6. Indianapolis Colts
7. New Orleans Saints
8. Cincinnati Bengals
9. Detroit Lions
10. Dallas Cowboys

MLive.com

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Denver Broncos
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. New England Patriots
7. New Orleans Saints
8. Cincinnati Bengals
9. Detroit Lions
10. Carolina Panthers

Keep Reading:

• Today's links
• 49ers-Panthers odds
• 49ers salary cap situation as NFI/PUP roster cuts approach
• NFC West at the halfway mark: Seattle Seahawks
• Vernon Davis: Unheralded key to the 49ers offensive revival