49ers still aren’t worst in NFC West power rankings for Week 6
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers are technically last place within the NFC West entering Week 6, but that doesn’t mean they have to be last in divisional NFL power rankings.
It’s easy and perhaps the right call to be bearish on the San Francisco 49ers after five weeks of action. After all, the 2-3 Niners have dropped three games in a row, have had both of their quarterbacks suffer injuries, are missing players elsewhere on the roster and generally have endured a disjointed and uninspiring effort over the course of the entire year.
A Week 4 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks, who share the same record, means San Francisco finds itself in last place within the NFC West, still regarded as the toughest division in football just over a quarter of the way through the regular season.
Yet that doesn’t automatically translate into the 49ers being the worst team overall in this bunch, at least NFL power rankings-wise.
No, instead, another team finds itself in the No. 4 power rankings spot heading into Week 6, which just so happens to be the Niners’ much-needed bye week.
And for good reason, too.
. . . Seattle Seahawks. 4. team. 36
Week 6 NFC West Power Rankings: Seattle Seahawks, No. 4
Yes, Seattle beat San Francisco 28-21 in Week 4. Seahawks fans reading this will remind 49ers fans of that every chance possible.
But power rankings can’t just attest to the wins and losses. They have to take into account other factors, too, and Seattle is dealing with a major one with quarterback Russell Wilson now shelved on injured reserve with a finger injury, keeping him out of action for at least three weeks.
Perhaps Wilson’s backup, quarterback Geno Smith, can engineer some heroics over that span, and the Hawks have some winnable games with a road bout versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6 before home contests against the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars before their own Week 9.
Still, no team has allowed more yards this season than the Seahawks, and Wilson was easily the No. 1 X-factor capable of making up for their defensive deficiencies.
With Wilson out of action, it’s not out of the question to predict three consecutive Seattle losses.
Even against those lowly Jags.