Power Rankings: Who hands 49ers their first loss?

With eight weeks left on the schedule, Chris Simms and Tank Williams rank the opponents who have the best chance of ending the NFL’s final unbeaten team.

Video Transcript

TANK WILLIAMS: All right, Chris. We saw the Pats go down to the Ravens on Sunday Night Football. The Niners are the only undefeated team left in the league, so when does their first L come this year?

CHRIS SIMMS: It's narrowed down to these two games, and it's the Ravens and the Saints. The Shanahan famous run scheme? Gonna be tough running against all those big dudes the Baltimore Ravens have. Plus the Baltimore secondary is good too, which allows them to put more people in the box. And I feel like the Ravens are big enough up front to slow down the overpowering defensive line of the San Francisco 49ers. And, of course, Lamar Jackson is Weapon X right now on the offensive side of the ball. So I am gonna go with that game. Baltimore's one of the best home field advantages in all of football. I don't know if everybody really realizes how loud that stadium gets on a Sunday.

TANK WILLIAMS: And I know-- you know I like that call too, because we just saw what the Ravens did to the Pats. But then on Thursday Night Football, we saw what Kyler Murray was able to do against that 49er defense. So then you combine the two with Action Jackson then, oh, that game is dangerous for the Niners. So I have that at number two. Now let's talk about that Saints--

CHRIS SIMMS: OK.

TANK WILLIAMS: --let's talk about this Saints match-up.

CHRIS SIMMS: I would say they're one of the better run-stopping defensive lines in the whole sport. Let alone you've got the Sean Payton factor of him figuring out cute ways to attack the 49ers defense and do all that.

TANK WILLIAMS: Saints fans are going to be on Bourbon Street getting liquored up for about eight hours before they file into the Superdome. No matter what time they're playing, they're still gonna be on Bourbon Street for about eight hours, and that stadium's--

CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah, they're gonna--

TANK WILLIAMS: --gonna be loud.

CHRIS SIMMS: --get their eight in, no matter what.

TANK WILLIAMS: It's gonna be pumping. And I'm telling you, that's an intimidating environment for any team to play in.

CHRIS SIMMS: It definitely is. It's one of the louder stadiums in football, once again. So wait. So you're just saying-- let me get this clear. You're going Ravens 1, Saints 2, as far as the teams you think--

TANK WILLIAMS: Ah, no.

CHRIS SIMMS: --that knock them off first?

TANK WILLIAMS: Because that Saints game is actually number three for me. My number one team is always the game that you least expect, and mine is the November 24th game when the Green Bay Packers come out to San Francisco to play the Niners. And the reason why is that, man, those Minnesota Vikings are nipping at the Packers' heels. And so this is going to come down-- when that game comes around, the Packers are gonna probably be in the must-win situation. And, hey, when Aaron Rodgers is hot, it's tough to slow that dude down. And so I can imagine him coming out to California, hair on fire, spreading the ball around, and getting the tough win in San Francisco because they have to.

CHRIS SIMMS: Man, that Packers defense, it is scary right now. OK? They're 23rd in football. They're letting up 255 yards a game passing, but what's more concerning against a team like the 49ers?

TANK WILLIAMS: Their run defense.

CHRIS SIMMS: They're almost letting up 130 yards a game running.

TANK WILLIAMS: I knew you was going there.

CHRIS SIMMS: Their interior D-line against that attack? Uh, negative, ghost rider. There's going to be lots of big runs, so I can't call that one. I got to say you're wrong on that one. I like your Ravens and Saints one, but the Packers ain't going into San Francisco and beating them. Sorry.

TANK WILLIAMS: I guess one thing we can both agree on is that even though a lot of people probably say that hey, the Seattle Seahawks are going into San Francisco on Monday Night Football this week. That has to be the Niners first loss. But the way I look at is that they had a scare against Arizona, they saw what the Ravens did against the Patriots did on Sunday Night Football, there's no way they let up on Monday Night Football this week. I think they handle biz at home.

CHRIS SIMMS: I do. I'm with you there, too. Russell Wilson, always dangerous. I don't know if Russell Wilson can carry them enough to win this type of football game.

TANK WILLIAMS: All right, well it looks like all eyes on November 24th against the Packers. We're going to see who's right. [CHUCKLES]

CHRIS SIMMS: Probably me.