Briana Jeannel
The San Francisco 49ers kept their momentum rolling with a statement win over the Chicago Bears in Week 17 under the lights at Levi's Stadium. As San Francisco enters the regular-season finale with the NFC West title and the conference's top seed within reach, the league is taking notice.
Here's where the 49ers landed in the latest Week 18 power rankings.
Week 18 Power Rankings:
NFL Network: 5
Eric Edholm, Lead Draft Writer
"What can you say? The team that many wrote off because of injuries now is one win away from clinching a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That's a testament to what Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have built: a tough-minded team with explosive offensive potential. Even the defense, shorthanded as it might be, provided enough big plays to finish off a very good Chicago outfit on Sunday night. There might not be much margin for error, however. The 49ers really need to be this efficient offensively to run through a stout NFC field in the postseason, but it feels more possible now than it has all season. WithBrock PurdyandChristian McCaffreyplaying some of their best ball down the stretch -- and especially in this strange, unexpected season -- it's absolutely within the realm of possibilities."
ESPN: 4
Nick Wagoner, ESPN NFL Nation
"What we learned this season: Kyle Shanahan is long overdue to be NFL Coach of the Year.
Shanahan has nearly won the award twice -- finishing second in 2019 and 2022 -- but this is his best work yet. After a massive offseason roster reset, the Niners viewed 2025 as a chance to grow with young players in hopes of sneaking back into the playoffs. Instead, Shanahan has the Niners one win away from the NFC's No. 1 seed despite injuries to multiple stars. Rehiring defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was a big offseason move for which Shanahan deserves credit, but he also has San Francisco's offense playing like the NFL's best down the stretch. He has proved once again that he's as good as any coach at designing an offense while motivating the entire team."
CBS Sports: 5
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports Senior Writer
"Brock Purdyis on a tear right now as they try to lock up the NFC's top seed. He has been special the past two weeks."
FOX Sports: 3
Ralph Vacchiano, NFL Reporter
"That was a heavyweight victory against the Bears. Their offense has been on fire the past three games, and a Super Bowl in their home stadium is looking more realistic every week."
Yahoo! Sports: 5
Frank Schwab, Senior Reporter
"For many weeks, it has been hard to reconcile a team with a defense as bad as the 49ers (26th in DVOA) being a top-five team. San Francisco gave 440 yards and 38 points at home Sunday night. But the Niners scored enough to win, as they've done many times this season. Their offense is the hottest in the NFL right now. If they beat Seattle on Saturday night and get the No. 1 seed, that offense will be two home wins from a Super Bowl, which would also be in Santa Clara. Maybe, in an NFL season with so many flawed contenders, the 49ers can pull this off."
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