NFL Power Rankings Week 12: 49ers Remain No. 1 Despite Shaky Win
Week 11 of the 2019 regular season is officially in the books. Since it is Tuesday, that means evaluations for teams in the latest NFL power rankings are hot and fresh out of the oven. When it comes to the San Francisco 49ers, they have been holding onto their No. 1 spot in the rankings following their week nine victory.
Ever since the New England Patriots gave up the top spot, the 49ers have refused to give it up. Well after the sleepwalking performance they had for a part of the game against the Cardinals, it felt like the 49ers were going to drop a spot or two. The Baltimore Ravens had an impressive win over the Houston Texans and continue to dominate. However, the 49ers still remain No. 1 despite their shaky win.
This comes as a bit of a surprise to me because the Ravens look untouchable. No body wants to encounter them as they are riding a six game winning streak. Meanwhile, the 49ers armor is starting to get some cracks in it. How they were able to remain the top dog is quite a feat. That could be due to the fact that they were down 16-0 in the second quarter.
Their strong will and winning mentality is likely what allowed them to stay at the top. Most teams, whether they are elite or not, tend to stay down when they fall into a hole like the 49ers were in. Yet, this team for the second consecutive game proved that they can climb out of any hole they are in. Against the Seattle Seahawks in week 10, the 49ers were down 21-10 with hardly any momentum.
That wasn't enough to demoralize them as they can't fighting back to give themselves a chance in overtime. Well the same thing happened this past weekend against the Cardinals, except the 49ers completed the comeback. That is a revealing factor about this team, especially when you consider the injuries to their key players.
What the coaching staff of the 49ers have been able to do without their critical pieces is amazing. A lot of why they are having success without them is because of their profound scheme to plug-and-play any player. Although, that isn't to discredit the players either because they clearly have the talent to contribute on gameday.
However, the 49ers will need their key players back as they face the toughest stretch of the schedule over the next three weeks. One of those opponents is the surging Ravens who will prove more than a handful. Before the 49ers can look to that matchup, they must take care of business this Sunday night in primetime against the Green Bay Packers. It's just another test for the 49ers to get them ready for the long-haul of the playoffs.
