Where the 49ers stand after collapse against the Rams – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

If there is one thing to take away from the first three weeks of the 2024 NFL season, it is that the mantra “any Sunday” couldn’t be truer.

Sam Darnold and the all-powerful (?) Minnesota Vikings continued to be successful. Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints offense had to give in, while two Super Bowl contenders were at the center of two epic comeback attempts.

Here's where the 49ers and the rest of the league stand before Monday night's doubleheader:

32. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 29)

Record: 0-3

Exhausting turnovers by Will Levis. Alcohol. Ugly performance by the duo Tony Pollard-Tyjae Spears. Rough offense is being played in Music City.

31. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 32)

Record: 1-2

The Andy Dalton era is here and it's beautiful. Well, everything is beautiful compared to it.

30. New England Patriots (Last week: 28)

Record: 1-2

Whoever is playing quarterback behind that offensive line is going to get destroyed week in and week out. An ineffective Rhamondre Stevenson leaves you with next to nothing on offense.

29. Denver Broncos (Last week: 31)

Record: 1-2

Bo Nix, I didn't know your game. Good overall performance for Denver. Let's see if they can build on that.

28. New York Giants (Last week: 30)

Record: 1-2

Occasionally there is a good Daniel Jones game. This was one of them. Malik Nabers continues to be great.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (Last week: 26)

Record: 1-2

Dalton is a big improvement over Bryce Young, but it's still the Panthers. Really? Only the Raiders would let Carolina embarrass them after their impressive win over the Ravens last week.

26. Washington Commanders (Last week: 27)

Score: 1-1

Rookie Jayden Daniels has put in impressive performances so far and has a decent supporting cast around him. This is a team that is regrouping and heading in the right direction, but they face a big challenge this week in a Bengals team that has something to prove.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 25)

Record: 0-2

Trevor Lawrence is fighting the cheating allegations. Mostly from me. How will he react on Monday Night Football against the mighty Bills?

24. Chicago Bears (Last week: 23)

Record: 1-2

Caleb Williams would be under less pressure if the Bears had a running game, but he seems to be getting more confident week by week. Still making way too many costly mistakes.

23. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 24)

Record: 1-2

Anthony Richardson is an unpredictable guy and that's going to cost Indy games. Luckily for them, the young quarterback has been a bigger liability on the other side of the field. Just runs the ball over 40 times a game. Seriously.

22. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 19)

Record: 1-2

Their third quarterback was thrown into the team, so they'll probably be in freefall for a few weeks.

21. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 20)

Record: 1-2

Their offense can't just rely on rewarding Marvin Harrison with deep shots. If James Conner isn't in shape, it's going to be a long day for Kyler Murray.

20. Los Angeles Rams (Last week: 22)

Record: 1-2

A heroic performance from a Rams team decimated by injuries. They had a couple of great chances towards the end of the game, but credit where credit is due. They showed great courage.

19. Los Angeles Chargers (Last week: 21)

Record: 2:1

Why did Justin Herbert even play in this game? This offense is really just a collection of guys. And not in a good way.

18. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 15)

Record: 1-2

This might be the worst team in NFL history that should be good. #FreeJameis

17. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 11)

Record: 0-2

They've always started slowly in the past, but losing to the Commanders and falling to 0-3 would be concerning. There are no must-win games in Week 3, but this one comes close.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 9)

Record: 2:1

I didn't see that coming. For Baker Mayfield and Co., this is a complete fall from grace. They're heading back to the middle class.

15. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 17)

Record: 1-2

They're not quite there yet, but I just can't give up on the Falcons. They faced the Chiefs and showed signs of it. One day they'll prove me right for four quarters.

14. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 14)

Record: 2:1

Malik Willis' revenge game. He did his job in place of Jordan Love, who was supposed to return next week. Everything will soon be fine in Green Bay.

13. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 18)

Record: 3:0

Their first three games of the season: Broncos, Patriots, and a matchup against the Dolphins' second and third quarterbacks. I'm the one who beats a serious team. But 3-0 is 3-0, so I have at least a little respect for them.

12. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 7)

Record: 1-2

The running game is atrocious, as is their run defense. Dak Prescott almost made the comeback with his arm alone, and that's not a recipe for success. There are serious concerns that need to be addressed with Big D.

11. New York Jets (Last week: 10)

Record: 2-1

Aaron Rodgers looked fantastic, distributing the ball well to all of his playmakers. Breece Hall and Braelon Allen make up one hell of a backfield. Imagine this offense if Rodgers and Garrett Wilson were on the same page.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 13)

Record: 3-0

Justin Fields has done an admirable job filling in for Russell Wilson, who shouldn't be guaranteed a starting spot when he returns. No matter who is under center, the defense will carry them.

9. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 12)

Record: 2-1

I wasn't as optimistic as others last week, but it's clear they mean business, even in a tough loss. Derek Carr has looked more like the Derek Carr we expected this season, but Alvin Kamara has clearly turned back the clock.

8. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 3)

Record: 1-2

It doesn't matter that Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel or George Kittle weren't there. This was a completely inexcusable meltdown. A meltdown of epic proportions. Shame on everyone involved not named Brock Purdy and Jauan Jennings.

7. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 6)

Record: 1-2

An impressive comeback, but it almost slipped through their fingers. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry did what they do best. My suspicions about their defense, however, prove correct.

6. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 8)

Record: 2:0

The offense continues to perform well despite Josh Allen having underwhelming support in the air. Will they be able to run the ball as well as they did against the Jags' strong D-line?

5. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 16)

Record: 3-0

This defense is not good. It is ELITE. Sam Darnold continues to be successful. I'm upgrading it from Frisky to WAGON status. But I probably just jinxed it.

4. Houston Texans (Last week: 2)

Record: 2-1

CJ Stroud faces Brian Flores. It wasn't pretty, but it seems like even the best attackers have trouble with the Vikings defense. Enough of that and let's move on.

3. Detroit Lions (Last week: 5)

Record: 2-1

There's just not enough going on with this team right now, but they're still getting it done, with one of the best running back duos in the league. The defense is also impressive.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 4)

Record: 2-1

Nick Sirianni is beyond frustrating as a coach. The 2023 second-half Eagles showed their ugly face for most of the game before Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert led them to victory.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 1)

Record: 3-0

Carson Steele stepped in for the injured Isiah Pacheco and was fit to play. Rashee Rice has replaced Travis Kelce as Patrick Mahomes' new target. The champions are still on the road to success.

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