There are levels to the NFL, and we’re starting to figure out who belongs on which one.
Now is about the time each season where contenders start to separate and pretenders start to fade, which is what we saw in Week 5.
Speaking of contenders, and perhaps the contender to rule them all …
Here is where the 49ers sit after their thrilling 32-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks and heading into “Monday Night Football”:
32. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 31)
Record: 0-5
Cam Ward is bad. Like really bad. The Titans will be in prime position to draft his replacement next spring.
31. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 32)
Record: 0-5
Miami ran the hell out of the ball, and could have won its first game of the season had Malik Willis not turned the ball over three times. It’s time for a change.
30. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 29)
Record: 1-4
Marvin Harrison Jr. had zero catches for zero yards on Sunday. If you were off the internet for 48 hours, you would have thought it was just another stinker for the former No. 4 overall pick. Arizona begins a new era led by another underperforming top-five pick.
29. Los Angeles Chargers (Last week: 27)
Record: 0-5
Someone needs to be fired soon. I don’t know who, and I really don’t care who. General manager Joe Hortiz? Jim Harbaugh? Mike McDaniel? Justin Herbert? They’re all to blame.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 28)
Record: 1-4
We have signs of life from Bucky Irving, who single-handedly carried Tampa to a big win in prime-time.
27. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 25)
Record: 1-4
Tyler Shough and the offense were completely neutralized. They stood zero chance against the league’s best defense.
26. New York Jets (Last week: 30)
Record: 2-3
It appears the Jets struck gold with No. 2 overall pick David Bailey, whose three sacks on Sunday give him five on the season. New York is trending in the right direction.
25. Washington Commanders (Last week: 26)
Record: 1-3-1
Jayden Daniels had a monster game on the ground in his return, but cost his team an overtime win by not throwing the ball out of bounds on the final play. What a frustrating ending.
24. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 23)
Record: 3-2
Deshaun Watson stunk it up. Welcome back to reality.
23. New York Giants (Last week: 24)
Record: 3-1-1
When Jameis Winston airs it out, there is a high likelihood something wild is going to happen. On Sunday, he connected with Malik Nabers on some game-changing plays.
22. Houston Texans (Last week: 22)
Record: 1-4
There was zero chance that Houston was going to lose this game. And it did not. Both sides of the ball looked good, but against Tennessee, it doesn’t prove much.
21. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 20)
Record: 2-3
Indy’s defense has surrendered 33-plus points in three of its five matchups, including 34 to an offense led by a quarterback who is closer to qualifying for AARP than making his NFL debut.
20. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 17)
Record: 2-3
Dak Prescott gave the game away, and CeeDee Lamb was nowhere to be found. Just a bad, bad loss.
19. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 21)
Record: 2-3
Defense broke down late, and the offense could not do enough to keep up with one of the deadliest offenses. Wasted an opportunity to put the NFC on notice. What’s that, is that Tua Tagovailoa’s music?
18. Las Vegas Raiders (Last week: 15)
Record: 3-2
We got Fernando Mendoza minutes, but it wasn’t because of Kirk Cousins’ play. While the Silver and Black’s offense might be on the rise, it’s defense is abysmal.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 19)
Record: 3-2
Aaron Rodgers still can sling it, even if it’s not always pretty. Jaylen Warren is on one hell of a tear right now.
16. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 18)
Record: 3-2
Christian Watson, if healthy, will finish the season top three in receiving yards, if not higher. He looks damn good so far.
15. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 16)
Record: 2-2
(Bye week)
14. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 10)
Record: 2-3
Hahahahahahahahahah.
13. Chicago Bears (Last week: 9)
Record: 3-2
Come back soon, Caleb Williams. I thought this offense at least could tread water without you. I was wrong.
12. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 14)
Record: 3-2
The defense bent, but didn’t break, allowing Joe Burrow and Co. to do its thing relatively stress-free until the end of the game.
11. Denver Broncos (Last week: 13)
Record: 3-2
Per usual, Denver’s defense won the game on Sunday. This is not a sustainable formula, the offense’s ineptitude is going to wear out this defense.
10. Detroit Lions (Last week: 11)
Record: 3-2
Jahmyr Gibbs did his thing, while Jared Goff dinked and dunked his way to a nice game. Another win against a bad team, which is all Detroit does. Beat bad teams.
9. New England Patriots (Last week: 12)
Record: 3-2
Drake Maye looked like an MVP, and New England is starting to resemble the team it appeared to be last season. The Pats might be back.
8. Los Angeles Rams (Last week: 6)
Record: 2-2
(Monday Night Football)
7. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 3)
Record: 3-2
Mike MacDonald’s defense might not be what it was last season, which isn’t surprising, because last season’s unit was otherworldly. Seattle has been too careless with the ball this season, and it cost the Seahawks big time on Sunday.
6. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 8)
Record: 5-0
Minus a couple fumbles, it was a pretty flawless game on both sides of the ball from one of the league’s three undefeated teams. Kyler Murray looked more like his old dual-threat self, too.
5. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 4)
Record: 3-1
(Monday Night Football)
4. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 5)
Record: 4-1
Tyler Huntley is the best quarterback this offense could have hoped for. There is nobody better to run things with Lamar Jackson out. A great comeback win for Snoop.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 7)
Record: 4-1
A not-so-Little kick, and a big win for Cam and Jags. Parker Washington might just be the breakout player of the season.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 2)
Record: 4-0
(Bye week)
1. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 1)
Record: 5-0
Rams defense? Not a problem. Broncos defense? Not a problem. Seahawks defense? Not a problem. The 49ers offense is better than any of the best defenses, and it’s why they are the best team in football through five weeks. Raheem Morris’ defense ain’t half bad, either.