The San Francisco 49ers are seriously good right now, folks. They’re one of only three NFL teams who’ve hit a 4-0 start in 2026, alongside the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings. But guess who else is getting serious love in the early power rankings? Our very own Seattle Seahawks, landing in the top five according to both ESPN and USA Today!
Undefeated and Untouched, But Not Unscathed
The Niners are rolling, no doubt about it. Their +58 point differential leads the entire NFL, and they’ve already locked down big wins against division rivals like the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Broncos. Quarterback Brock Purdy is tearing it up, looking like an early MVP candidate with that offense doing a ton of heavy lifting. Plus, their O-line has been lights out, becoming the first team since Peyton Manning’s 2005 Colts to give up zero sacks through four games. That’s insane protection! Head Coach Kyle Shanahan is already the longest-tenured coach in their franchise’s history, and this is his third 4-0 start, with the previous two leading to Super Bowl berths.
But it’s not all sunshine and roses for them. Injuries are slamming the Niners hard, especially at wide receiver and defensive line. Star defensive end Nick Bosa is out with a calf issue. They’ve lost Ricky Pearsall for the season to a knee injury and promising rookie De’Zhaun Stribling for 10 weeks with an ankle problem. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is the latest star to go down. They’re having to dig deep into their practice squad, but somehow they’re still playing even better than advertised, especially after taking advantage of an early three-game home stand. Their defense and special teams also stepped up big time in that win against the Broncos, showing they can win even when the scoreboard isn’t exploding.
Our Hawks Are Cracking the Top 5, And What’s Next
Alright, let’s talk about what really matters: our Seattle Seahawks! ESPN put the 49ers at No. 1 in their power rankings, but right there in their top five were the Chiefs, **Seahawks**, Bills, and Jaguars. USA Today mirrored that, also ranking the 49ers at No. 1, with the Chiefs, **Seahawks**, Broncos, and Rams rounding out their top five. Are you seeing this? Our Hawks are consistently getting shout-outs in the TOP FIVE from major sports outlets this early in the season! That’s huge for the Emerald City!
USA Today’s Nate Davis even highlighted how massive the 49ers’ upcoming schedule is, pointing out that if they “Beat Seattle on Sunday, San Francisco will have already taken down three of last season’s final four teams.” That’s the kind of high-stakes matchup that gets the 12s fired up, hinting at a huge showdown on the horizon. And speaking of our Hawks handling business, we’ve already got a huge win under our belts. Remember that absolute battle against the Chargers? Sam Darnold and the crew came through, taking down Los Angeles 30-23 at home!
The 49ers are definitely a force right now, but seeing our Seattle Seahawks consistently showing up in the Top 5 tells you everything you need to know about our squad’s early form. With a win like that against the Chargers already under their belt and a big matchup potentially looming against San Francisco, our Hawks are ready to prove they belong right there at the top. Let’s get loud, 12s, the season is just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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