After defeating the Washington Redskins this week, the San Francisco 49ers' season record improved to 7-1, extending their winning streak to four games. Especially in the two games after their bye week, they secured dominant victories, truly demonstrating the momentum and style of a strong team.
At this moment, people realized that the San Francisco 49ers, which had been dormant for eight years, were now a thing of the past. The new team was becoming the breakout dark horse of the season, and a formidable one at that, sweeping across the league.
Just a few weeks ago, in the official league power rankings, Elliot Harrison controversially placed the 49ers third, behind only the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, and ahead of the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, who were also having good seasons. People's preconceived notions generally held that the 49ers were still a weak team, one that could fall apart at any moment—much like the Washington Redskins—and that their early-season burst of success would be short-lived. This caused a lot of backlash on social media regarding Elliot's ranking.
But now, the whole world has turned upside down, presenting a different picture.
Across both the AFC and NFC, the Green Bay Packers are the only undefeated team, with an 8-0 record, and are at the top of the rankings. The 49ers, with their impressive 7-1 record, stand alone as the second-best team in the entire league. This situation has surprised countless people.
The Detroit Lions lost to the 49ers in Week 6 and then to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7. After an easy win against the Denver Broncos on the road, they entered their bye week with a 6-2 record.
The New England Patriots are even more unpredictable. After losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, they went on a three-game winning streak. Like the 49ers, they had a bye week, but after their return, they suffered two consecutive losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants, bringing their record to just 5-3.
Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens were upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7, giving the weaker team its second win of the season. Their record now stands at 6-2.
In other words, while their direct competitors were faltering, the 49ers maintained their strong performance and continued their winning streak. This is how the league standings have arrived at their current state.
Of course, some would argue that, aside from the Detroit Lions, the 49ers' other three opponents in their four-game streak—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Washington Redskins—were weak teams. Meanwhile, the Patriots' losses were against the strong Steelers and Giants, so the weight of these wins and losses is different.
But no one can deny that the 49ers are now showing the characteristics of a strong team.
A strong team doesn't just win a lot; it controls games against weaker opponents with superior skill, securing easy victories and saving energy to unleash massive power against strong opponents, pushing for a win in a head-to-head showdown.
This has been the 49ers' strategy since their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. They won a tough game against the Lions and easily defeated the Buccaneers, Browns, and Redskins. Their overall performance has been consistently stable, and they've maintained an excellent state of readiness throughout their games.
From this perspective, the 49ers have indeed transformed, truly changing people's long-held impressions of a team that had been weak for eight years. They have become a formidable force in the league this season, still carrying the "dark horse" title.
Naturally, in this week's official league power rankings, Elliot had no hesitation in placing the 49ers in the second position, second only to the Green Bay Packers. He wrote in his commentary:
"No one could have predicted that the San Francisco 49ers would reach this position; similarly, no one can argue against them being here. This traditional powerhouse, which has missed the playoffs for eight years, has found new life this season, proving its strength with one brilliant performance after another.
This week, Lu Ke once again delivered a perfect performance. This rookie quarterback is simply unstoppable. However, in today's analysis, I want to especially commend the team's rapidly developing receiving corps. Logan Newman, Ted Ginn, and Marcus Lynch—two rookies and a backup—have become the team's most important offensive firepower, the cannons of the offense. Michael Crabtree, Kyle Williams, and Vernon Davis's roles on offense are also becoming clearer and more distinct, playing important parts in different tactical combinations.
In addition, the offensive line has also found its rhythm, and the quality of pocket protection has significantly improved, giving the quarterback more room to perform.
In other words, this team's offensive style is taking shape. Isn't this incredible? But it is indeed happening."
As the regular season officially enters its second half, the race for playoff spots is heating up, and the 49ers are slowly becoming a target for all the other teams. Will they continue to show the style of a strong team and extend their winning streak? If so, for how long? Will they collapse in the second half of the season, just like the Washington Redskins?
With each consecutive win, the pressure of the games will multiply. At the same time, they will become a target for other teams, and any subtle change in their mentality will inevitably lead to a change in their performance on the field, just like in Week 4, when pride and complacency became a ticking time bomb.
The first time, after a three-game winning streak, the 49ers suffered a loss. The second time, after a four-game winning streak, how will the 49ers perform?
For others, this is just speculation on a psychological level; the so-called pressure and attention are invisible and impossible to measure accurately. But for Lu Ke, the system presents it in a much clearer way because a new mission has appeared.
It's a second objective mission.
"Objective Mission: The Transformation of a Strong Team's Mentality.
Mission Description: A winning streak is the best way to maintain a team's form and confidence. Each successive victory is a quantitative change that helps a weak team transform into a strong one. The so-called team mentality and strong team style are cultivated through a series of continuous victories. In the regular season, try to extend the winning streak as much as possible.
Mission Requirements: Continue winning after the three-game winning streak.
Mission Rewards: Four consecutive wins, +1 base points; five consecutive wins, +3 base points; six consecutive wins, +6 base points; seven consecutive wins, +10 base points... and so on, with continuous accumulation.
Failure Penalty: None."
This is a special objective mission because it has no failure penalty. It's more like a side quest in addition to the game missions, where Lu Ke gradually completes a psychological transformation through a series of victories. If he fails, the system imposes no harsh penalties.
In reality, the penalty is simply not receiving the additional accumulated base points, which is the simplest and most painful kind of punishment.
Undoubtedly, in terms of numbers alone, this is the biggest mission reward Lu Ke has seen so far, and it's clear that the rewards for each game are accumulating step by step. The rule for the number accumulation is not complicated. After each win, the points are continuously added in a sequence. For example, the reward for a five-game streak is "1+2," a six-game streak is "1+2+3," and so on. If they can achieve a 16-game winning streak this season, the mission reward will be 91 base points.
Of course, the 49ers have already lost once this season, so a 16-game winning streak is impossible. Even in the entire league, only the New England Patriots have accomplished such a feat in a single season in the past decade. In the NFL, winning streaks are not that simple.
Even so, Lu Ke couldn't help but imagine in his mind what would happen if they did achieve it. Even a 12-game winning streak this season would be very significant. He would instantly become a base points millionaire, then add all the points at once and immediately transform into a Super Saiyan.
And then... then he would become a monster in the league, caught by the scientists in Area 51 and sliced up for research, and there would be no "and then."
"Little Seven, how are the base points for the winning streak mission calculated?" This was Lu Ke's only question.
He knew that winning streaks were very difficult, which is why the system gave such generous rewards. After a brief moment of joy, he calmed down. The more generous the reward, the greater the pressure. Just imagining the possibility of 91 base points shows how terrifying a 16-game winning streak would be.
Comparing with numbers is always more direct.
"After the streak is broken," Little Seven simply explained.
Previously, after Lu Ke achieved a three-game winning streak, he couldn't extend it, so the objective mission never appeared, as the minimum requirement was a three-game winning streak. Now, with a four-game winning streak in hand, this has become the key to unlocking the objective mission.
Instinctively, Lu Ke began to think about his opponent for the next game, and he immediately realized that it would be a very difficult opponent, possibly the strongest he has faced since the start of his career—an opponent that makes him want to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
In Week 10 of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers will host the New York Giants, led by Eli Manning!
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