49ers Power Rankings roundup: The Niners are making late-season playoff push

The San Francisco 49ers won their first game in more than a month when they beat the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 in Week 12 of the NFL season. The Niners are getting healthier going into the final five weeks of their schedule and could make a run at one of the seven NFC playoff berths.

Richard Sherman, Raheem Mostert and Deebo Samuel returned last week and helped San Francisco get a much-needed victory. The team should also get receiver Brandon Aiyuk and defensive lineman D.J. Jones back in the fold when they play the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

The 49ers beat a Rams team that is in position to qualify for the postseason. Let’s see if they moved up the power rankings from various media outlets.

ESPN has the 49ers 16th (up one spot from last week)

It’s not so much about the Bills as the fact that the most important game for the Niners right now is always going to be the next one. An upset against the Rams pushed the 49ers back into the NFC playoff picture, but they don’t have much margin for error if they intend to sneak into the postseason. That means the next game is going to be the one that holds the most meaning simply because another loss will make that task exceedingly difficult.

Sports Illustrated has the 49ers 17th

The 49ers have been exiled from their home, which puts them on the shortlist of teams that have had the strangest, most authentic 2020s. They have also put up with an absurd amount of injuries, as we all know, which is a shame because Sunday was a great reminder of how good this team can be. A Niners win and a Bucs loss kept the dream alive for all four NFC West teams to reach the playoffs together, but don’t bet on it.

USA TODAY has the 49ers 14th (up two spots from last week)

Apparently you can find precious metals in the desert, so it naturally makes sense to move 49ers to Arizona for a few weeks as they try to prove this campaign isn’t fool’s gold.

Yahoo Sports has the 49ers 18th (up one spot from last week)

It stinks for the 49ers to have to play in Arizona for at least their next two home games. Given the uncertainty about everything in the summer, it’s surprising no other team had to play away from its home stadium before now. We knew some teams would catch unfair breaks this weird season, and San Francisco might lead the league in that category.

Pro Football Talk has the 49ers 17th (up five spots from last week)

If they get to the playoffs, they could be as dangerous from the back of the pack than they were as the frontrunner.

Here is how the rest of the NFC West are ranked:

Seattle Seahawks: ESPN (No. 6), Sports Illustrated (No. 5), USA TODAY (No. 8),
Yahoo! (No. 6), Pro Football Talk (No. 6)

Los Angeles Rams: ESPN (No. 10), Sports Illustrated (No. 13), USA TODAY (No. 7),
Yahoo! (No. 10), Pro Football Talk (No. 8)

Arizona Cardinals: ESPN (No. 13), Sports Illustrated (No. 14), USA TODAY (No. 16),
Yahoo! (No. 15), Pro Football Talk (No. 14)

Where do you have the 49ers in your power rankings?