No, the 49ers don’t climb a spot in our NFL power rankings this week after falling in yet another close matchup, this time to the Washington Redskins 26-24 in Week 6.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan finally decided he’d seen enough from veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer, benching him in favor of his rookie signal-caller, C.J. Beathard.
Beathard’s one touchdown against one interception and 72.1 passer rating doesn’t suggest a great game, although it’s pretty safe to assume the Niners offense is a little more prolific after the switch.
More importantly, he helped a 49ers squad overcome a 17-0 first-half deficit to close the game to two points.
San Francisco has now lost its last five games by a combined 13 points. That’s insane, and it’s crazy to see the vastly small scoring differential the Niners have compared to other bottom-dwelling teams in the league:
Point differential:#49ers (0-6): -33
— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) October 15, 2017
NYG (0-5): -40
CHI (2-4): -43
AZ (2-3): -33
IND (2-3): -62
CLE (0-6): -63
It’s likely the 49ers would have won in Week 6 if linebacker NaVorro Bowman was present to shore up a porous interior defense. He’s gone now, though, and San Francisco has taken the next step towards its future.
At least this team is competitive.