Another 49ers loss led to another drop in the NFL Wire power rankings. Last week their quarterback situation meant a one spot drop from 11 to 12. This time with Jimmy Garoppolo under center for a 43-17 blowout against the Dolphins, they plummeted eight spots to No. 20 and are looking up at seven other NFC teams, including all four in their division.
Here’s where things get dicey though. Of the 49ers’ 11 remaining games, only two — the Washington Football Team and Dallas Cowboys — are behind San Francisco in the power rankings. Of the other nine, six are against teams in the top 10.
This isn’t a typical hangover from a run to the Super Bowl though. This version of the 49ers is not the same team that lambasted the Packers in the NFC championship just nine months ago.
Injuries in the secondary were a huge reason the 49ers struggled Sunday and could continue to struggle. The quarterback situation is the reason they got blown out and couldn’t keep up while the Dolphins lit up the scoreboard. Jimmy Garoppolo was still dealing with the lingering effects of a high ankle sprain, and it showed in the worst outing of his career.
Via the NFL Wire’s Doug Farrar:
But the extent to which Jimmy Garoppolo looked overmatched in that game was disconcerting, to say the least. Shanahan pulled his expensive starting quarterback after Garoppolo completed just seven of 17 passes for 77 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions, and perhaps Garoppolo was still favoring his injured ankle — though the fact that Garoppolo wasn’t listed on the team’s final injury report raises an eyebrow…
This is what it’s going to come down to for the 49ers. Their climb back up the power rankings and back into the playoff hunt will come down to their quarterback. If they get top-tier play from Garoppolo, they’ll be able to win some games despite an injury-riddled defense. If he continues to struggle, the 49ers will have a hard time winning and could finish the year closer to the bottom five than the top 10.
