The San Francisco 49ers enter a make-or-break stretch over the next four weeks. How they perform against the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and Cleveland Browns will determine whether they remain legitimate postseason contenders or just pretenders.

However, through it all, this team has consistently been one of the top teams in the NFL. The Niners currently sit with a record of 6-3, being one of the higher record teams in the NFC. With all of that turmoil,

George Kittle attempted to calm tensions following the beatdown the San Francisco 49ers suffered at home against the Los Angeles Rams. He sent a strong message about what the team can do to reach the playoffs.

The 49ers have stayed competitive after a wave of injuries. But Sunday's loss showed they can't match the league's top teams like this.

The 49ers got beaten in most phases of this game. This was not a team that was one piece away, and moving forward, it is hard to say that they could make a real run with one more piece. Without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, the entire defense looks like a shell of itself.

USA TODAY NFL columnist Jarrett Bell's midseason plaudits trumpet 49ers coach, Philly's QB, Browns' Myles Garrett.

A key player in the creation of those open looks is fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Because of his own upside in the passing game, Juszczyk offers a rare skill set from the fullback position, and he was quietly key to McCaffrey’s production both on the ground and through the air in San Francisco’s Week 9 win over the New York Giants.

Week 10 in the NFL is obviously within the second half of the season, and November is a crucial month for almost every team that is even sniffing being a contender. The Baltimore Ravens have managed to put together a three-game winning streak to put them back into the conversation of not only a division favorite,

Brock Purdy "could have" played this week, according to Kyle Shanahan. That should put a Week 11 return firmly in play.

Rams originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area The 49ers’ one-down, one-up stretch continued with another dip in production. The Los Angeles Rams jumped on the 49ers quickly on Sunday, and kept San Francisco at arm’s length for the remainder of the day in the 42-26 win at Levi’s Stadium.