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The 49ers have been in every game they've played and could be 5-0, just as they could be 0-5. But they're 2-3 and riding a three-game losing streak, all against teams considered preseason playoff contenders. The hardest part about trusting the Niners right now is they don't yet seem to have forged an identity that inspires much confidence. There are reasons for hope, but there are even more questions that need answers to come back in the affirmative for this season to get back on track. -- Nick Wagoner

The bye came at an ideal time for the Niners, who stumbled into their off week on a three-game losing streak. The offense needs to achieve consistency, and San Francisco could find it by addressing two big issues: 1) Who is the quarterback going forward? 2) Who can stay healthy and serve as a catalyst in the running game? First-round pick Trey Lance is a player who can be a solution to both those questions, but he's dealing with a knee issue and doesn't appear to have earned Kyle Shanahan's trust just yet. It might be time for the coach to make a leap of faith.

They come off their bye with the likelihood that Jimmy Garoppolo could be back at quarterback. They can't let the Cardinals and Rams get too far away in the division.

Hopefully the bye helped clear head of underperforming WR Brandon Aiyuk, who has eight catches for 90 yards -- on the season.

Rookie Heat Check: Trey Lance has made just one career start, and he's already injured. At some point during the 49ers' 17-10 loss to the Cardinals on Oct. 10, the No. 3 pick suffered a sprained knee, according to coach Kyle Shanahan. But these things are to be expected when a quarterback gets sacked twice, hit six times and hurried 14 times. Combine that with 16 rushes, and well, San Francisco's top quarterbacks were on the mend during the bye. Now, part of Lance's game is how well he uses his legs and gets out the pocket. No one is saying to stop that. Just find ways for him to take less abuse and reinforce the need to not expose himself to unnecessary hits.