The San Francisco 49ers started the season as the favorites to win the NFC West and as the top challenger to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC.

The Niners opened the year in grand fashion, winning their first 5 games and doing it impressively. In that opening 5-game stretch, they overpowered the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants, the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys. They also had a 7-point win over the Los Angeles Rams.

The win over the Cowboys came by a 42-10 margin, and the fact that they could demolish one of the most talented teams in the league sent a strong signal to the rest of the league that head coach Kyle Shanahan had an elite team on his hands.

But just as comparisons to the Eagles and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs were becoming favorable, the Niners slumped.

They dropped 3 games as favorites to the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. After the loss to Cincinnati, the Niners had their bye week before returning to action in Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The bye had both a positive and a negative impact. It allowed the Niners to heal from bumps and bruises and more serious injuries, but it also gave the losing streak a chance to linger.

By the time they traveled to Jacksonville to take on a Jaguars team that had won 5 straight games, they had gone more than a month without a victory.

Niners pound Jaguars with well-rounded attack

The 49ers were razor sharp and ready to play against the Jaguars. They were also far healthier than they had been in their Week 8 loss to the Bengals.

The biggest change was the return of Deebo Samuel to the lineup. The wide receiver is one of the toughest and most consistent players at his position, and he gives the Niners a major edge in most games.

Samuel had missed 3 games with a shoulder injury, but he had demonstrated in practice during the week that he was healthy enough to play. Samuel caught 4 passes for 30 yards against the Jaguars and he also carried the ball 3 times for 29 yards. His rushing total included a 23-yard touchdown run.

The Niners have a boatload of talent on their roster, and while Samuel is a key player, he shares top billing with running back Christian McCaffrey.

The former Carolina Panther may be the top running back in the league. He carried the ball 16 times for 95 yard against Jacksonville and also caught 6 passes for 47 yards. He did not score a TD against Jacksonville, but that's his first regular-season game in a San Francisco uniform that he did not get into the end zone.

Brock Purdy has emerged as a dynamic signal caller for the Niners. While he came into the league as the last selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy is smart, efficient and effective. He had struggled with a 3 to 5 touchdown to interception ratio during the losing streak, but he completed 19 of 26 passes for 296 yards with 3 TDs and no interceptions against the Jaguars.

In addition to Samuel, McCaffrey and Purdy, tight end George Kittle and wideout Brandon Aiyuk are also game-changing players on the offensive side of the ball.

Defense steps up against Jacksonville

The Niners had struggled on defense during their 3-game losing streak. However, that unit returned to top form against the Jaguars.

The Niners have a pair of hard-hitting and effective linebackers in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. They also have a pair of big-time pass rushers Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave. Both were impact players against Jacksonville and recorded 1.5 sacks each.

They also have strong safety Talanoa Hufanga, one of the best defensive backs in the league. He tied Greenlaw with a team-high 8 tackles against Jacksonville, and Hufanga also had an interception.

San Francisco is back on track

The Jaguars were also coming off their bye week, and they presented a major challenge. In addition to their 5-game winning streak, they had quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne. They form one of the top QB-RB combinations in the league.

Nevertheless, the Niners shut them down and made a statement.

The Niners are back on track for the season and they will likely be big favorites the next two games against the Buccaneers (at home) and the Seahawks (on the road).

After that, they travel to Philadelphia in Week 13 and that game should be a playoff preview. As long as the Niners are healthy, they don't have to take a back seat to any team — including the powerful Eagles.

The 49ers are clearly a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season.