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Exceeding expectations: With the 49ers, it's important to look beyond results. They are 5-6 with a plus-7 point differential. But given the circumstances, I'd argue that Kyle Shanahan's performance has been as impressive as it was a year ago. Jimmy Garoppolo has played just 41 percent of the snaps. George Kittle has played in six games. Deebo Samuel five. The 49ers have suffered devastating injury after devastating injury, but they have battled, beating the Rams twice and blowing out the Patriots in New England. The fact that Shanahan has the 49ers just one game out of a playoff spot is amazing.

Winning at Los Angeles against the Rams speaks volumes about this team. They have fought through a lot of injuries and COVID losses, but they are still alive.

Apparently you can find precious metals in the desert, so it naturally makes sense to move 49ers to Arizona for a few weeks as they try to prove this campaign isn't fool's gold.

Most important game remaining: Week 13 vs. Buffalo

It's not so much about the Bills as the fact that the most important game for the Niners right now is always going to be the next one. An upset against the Rams pushed the 49ers back into the NFC playoff picture, but they don't have much margin for error if they intend to sneak into the postseason. That means the next game is going to be the one that holds the most meaning simply because another loss will make that task exceedingly difficult. -- Nick Wagoner

The 49ers have been absolutely decimated by injuries this season, which makes their 5-6 record after Sunday's 23-20 win over the Rams all the more impressive. San Francisco won because its ball-hawking defense forced four turnovers, including a pick-six via rookie Javon Kinlaw. The offense was carried by Deebo Samuel, who just looks different than other players when the ball is in his hands. His 24-yard reception on third-and-2 sustained the game-winning field-goal drive. Samuel showed no ill-effects from the hamstring injury that cost him the previous three games, notching a career-high 11 catches and a season-high 133 receiving yards. The Niners swept the Rams in back-to-back years for the first time since 2008-09.