Kyle Shanahan and his San Francisco 49ers heeded the cold slap in the face that came with a 3-game losing streak in the middle of the season. Observers were questioning just who the 49ers were, but they answered that call with a resounding 34-3 road victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. A statement was sent to the rest of the NFL and the Niners can further underline that message in their Week 11 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Niners are returning to form and they have quite a bit of payback to attend to after they suffered losses to the Browns, Vikings and Bengals.

After the loss to the Bengals in Week 8, the Niners had their bye week. The time off was a two-edged sword for Shanahan and his players. Most importantly, it gave players like Deebo Samuel (shoulder) a chance to get healthy and return to being a productive player.

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However, the time off meant that it would be longer than a calendar month between victories. Their last win came in Week 5 against the Cowboys, and they would not get in the win column again until Week 10.

A path to the top of the NFC

The Niners are currently behind the Eagles and and Lions when it comes to placement in the NFC playoff structure. They are also tied with the Seahawks for the division lead in the NFC West. It seems likely that they will finish with the second- or third-best record in the NFC, but there is an outside chance that they could come all the way back and finish in the top spot.

They would need the Lions to slip a bit — Detroit has a tough closing 3-game stretch of the regular season — and the Eagles to lose at least once when facing the Chiefs (Monday night), Bills (Week 12), Cowboys (Week 14) or Seahawks (Week 15).

The Niners would also have to beat the Eagles themselves in Week 13 when the two teams meet in Philadelphia.

A 3-game losing streak in the middle of the season usually dooms a team from finding glory, but it is still out there for the 49ers, and they must take care of business against a middle of the pack Bucs team this week.

Look for Deebo Samuel to score 2 TDs vs. Tampa Bay

The return of Samuel jolted the 49ers in the win over the Jaguars. Even without Samuel, the Niners have a deep offense with quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, wideout Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle.

Each of those skilled players are stars in their own right, but it is Samuel who personifies the toughness and versatility that makes the 49ers so difficult to defend. He is an outstanding receiver who runs outstanding pass routes and dominates his physical matchups.

He excels at delivering yardage after contact, and he can also get the job done as a ball carrier. Many players talk about living for the contact and doling out punishment, but few can match Samuel's on-field demeanor and hard-hitting ways.

Heading into Week 11, Samuel has caught 24 passes for 332 yards and a touchdown, and he also has 21 carries for 124 yards and 2 scores.

His motivation and skill level will allow him to get into the end zone twice against the Bucs.

McCaffrey runs for 125 yards and 1 touchdown

McCaffrey is on his way to first-team, All-Pro status this year, and he is clearly the most dangerous running back in the NFL. He combines speed, power, instincts and an overall hunger to get the job done every week.

He did not get into the end zone against the Jaguars, and that's the first regular season game he did not score a touchdown while wearing a Niners uniform.

That won't happen 2 weeks in a row. He has rushed for 747 yards, a 4.9 yards per carry average and he has scored 9 rushing touchdowns. That only tells slightly more than half the story, as he excels as a receiver and is a fine blocker. He has caught 38 passes for 349 yards with 4 TD receptions.

The combination of Samuel and McCaffrey working together makes it easier for Purdy, Aiyuk and Kittle to make their contributions.

Purdy may not have the strongest arm among quarterbacks, but he is accurate and has excellent instincts. Aiyuk is the Niners leading receiver with 38-675-3 and Kittle is one of the best tight ends in the league.

There may be no stopping the 49ers from this point forward.