Pats, Saints top 2 teams in AP Pro32 poll; 49ers now 3rd
NEW YORK (AP) » Among the top teams in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers stand out for one important reason: They are still unbeaten.
The 49ers improved to 5-0 on the season after shutting down the Los Angeles Rams 20-7 last week. The Niners, who are one of four NFC teams with five wins, moved up one spot to No. 3 in the latest AP Pro32 poll .
“Jimmy Garoppolo has solved the quarterback question in San Francisco, but it’s the defense that’s the most impressive part of this team,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.
And the 49ers will be a heavy favorite to stay perfect on the season; they face lastplace Washington on Sunday.
“It took five wins, but I’m on the bandwagon,” Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk said of San Francisco. “This is a good football team.”
The top two teams re
mained the same from last week’s poll.
The New England Patriots, the other unbeaten team in the league, are the unanimous top team; they received all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting Tuesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.
The Patriots close Week 7 when they face the NewYork Jets on Monday night. The
Patriots defeated the Jets 3014 in Week 3 at home.
The New Orleans Saints, who fended off the Jacksonville Jaguars 13- 6 last week, remained No. 2.
The Seattle Seahawks moved up two places to No. 4 after topping the Cleveland Browns.
“3- 0 road record for the first time since 1980 is awfully impressive. Will Dissly injury, though, hurts,” Alex Marvez of Sirius XMsaid of the Seahawks tight end who is expected to miss the rest of the season.
The Seahawks face an
other AFC North foe this week when they host the first-place Baltimore Ravens, who also jumped two places, landing at No. 10.
The Green Bay Packers remained at No. 5 after their 23-22 win over the Detroit Lions on Monday night on Mason Crosby’s 23-yard field goal as time expired.
“Aaron Rodgers has a defense, good health and a new bounce in his step,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida. “He is also reminding us why he has a gold (Hall of Fame) jacket in his future.”