NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Chiefs gripping No. 1 tightly and the Jets won a game

Any uncertainty about the current state of the San Francisco 49ers was clarified on Sunday as they visited the Dallas Cowboys. Nick Mullens and the Niners offense made a bad defense look more than capable, even as they scored 33 points, while Kyle Shanahan’s club dropped to 5-9 on the season.

Mullens was quite bad in Week 15, completing just 21-of-36 passes for 219 yards with two scores and two interceptions along with a lost fumble. The rushing attack was fine but the Niners found themselves in a hole and couldn’t rely on the ground game solely to get them out of it. It was a bad showing as they coughed the ball up four times.

In fact, you could easily say that the 49ers weren’t as close as the final score would indicate. Dallas returned a late onside kick for a touchdown that game the Cowboys a 14-point lead before C.J. Beathard, inserted after an injury for Mullens, hit a touchdown pass as time expired to give us the final score.

With all the injuries that the 49ers have been dealt this season, it’s a lost year for San Francisco. But even then, it’s tough to watch a team that was in the Super Bowl a year ago be in this type of spot.