San Francisco has rattled off three-straight victories, each scoring at least 30 points, possessing the ball for at minimum 37:00 minutes of the contest and dominating the turnover battle. Their recent success has pushed the team over .500 for the first time since Week 3 and, so far, has given the team a shot at playing January football. While the 49ers appear to be on the rise, how have analysts viewed San Francisco's recent resurgence compared to the rest of the league?
Here's a look at the latest NFL power rankings from several national outlets heading into Week 13:
Ranking: 10
Previous Rank: 16
The 49ers received huge contributions from unexpected places in a gutty win over the Vikings. Azeez Al-Shaair was a star at linebacker, first on the weak side and then in the middle calling plays once Fred Warner went out with a hamstring injury. Elijah Mitchell, playing with that steel pin in his finger, piled up 133 yards and a touchdown. And when Deebo Samuel was lost to a groin injury, it was Trent Sherfield who stepped up with a huge third-down catch that allowed San Francisco to burn precious seconds in the final quarter. The victory moved the Niners into playoff position in the NFC and reaffirmed what's become increasingly apparent as the month has progressed: Kyle Shanahan's team has found itself and is ready to make some noise.
Ranking: 11
Previous Rank: 17
They are surging heading into December and have the look of a playoff team. They ran it right at the Vikings last week, which is their ideal way of winning.
Ranking: 12
Previous Rank: 14
The 49ers hit rock bottom against Arizona in Week 9, but that loss is long forgotten. The Niners have won three in a row and four of their past five, and they now sit at the No. 6 spot in the NFC playoff picture. Given their schedule and the way things are breaking around them, it would be a surprise if they don't make the postseason, which means this confidence rating should only continue to rise.
Ranking: 12
Previous Rank: 18
The 49ers stayed one step ahead of the Vikings with Jimmy Garoppolo keeping their offense hot for Kyle Shanahan. The defense is hurting and struggling still on every level, but they are stepping up with impact plays when they count most.
Ranking: 13
Previous Rank: 16
Every other playoff team in the NFC should hope and pray that the 49ers don't qualify.
Ranking: 13
Previous Rank: 13
Watch out for this team. The 49ers made it wins in three straight and four of five with Sunday's triumph over the Vikings. The 49ers continue to control games with long, time-consuming drives. Deebo Samuel has been versatile and valuable, though his groin injury is a major concern. No one should want to face the 49ers these days.
Ranking: 13
Previous Rank: 16
In the event you suffer from East Coast bias, the franchise that popularized the West Coast offense is suddenly up to sixth place in the NFC. They're averaging nearly 180 rushing yards during their three-game win streak but must carry on in the short term without top weapon Deebo Samuel.
Ranking: 13
Previous Rank: 17
The San Francisco 49ers are rolling, winners of three straight and four of their last five games. They've gotten back into playoff picture in the NFC by doing what they do best: running the football.
On Sunday at Levi's® Stadium, the Niners mustered 208 yards on 39 carries, which averages out to a robust 5.3 yards per carry. Tailback Elijah Mitchell peeled off 133 rushing yards in his return to the lineup, while wide receiver Deebo Samuel averaged 11 yards per carry and scored twice.
With so many teams on the fringe of playoff contention struggling to find an identity, the 49ers are doing what they do best. (Bleacher Report NFL Analysts Brent) Sobleski believes that makes them dangerous.
"The Niners have won three straight contests and scored at least 30 in each," he said. "How? They've gone back to basics. Kyle Shanahan's system is predicated on running the ball with the passing attack married to those ground-based principles. Since losing to the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 7 when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for a season-high 326 yards, the Niners averaged 41.7 carries over the next three contests. They're winning at the point of attack and running the football effectively."
