The 49ers made it more difficult than it needed to be, but a clutch defensive stand stymied a fourth-quarter rally by the Commanders, and San Francisco escaped with its sixth win of the season.
San Francisco dominated the ball on both ends in the first three quarters. Washington’s defense had no answer for Brock Purdy, who picked off the Commanders’ secondary like it was in 7-on-7 drills. The Commanders scheme didn’t go any better. They had no running game and Jayden Daniels tried to move the chains on third down.
Washington’s offense finally found its footing, and an injury to Mike Evans, who was having another big game, seemed to derail the 49ers’ offense. It was too little, too late for the Commanders, who are reeling from a 1-4-1 start.
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At least that’s what the rankings say. The Niners are the league’s only 6-0 team (the Vikings are 5-0), and they have the best scoring margin in the NFL. The product on the ground also makes a compelling case. With how good coach Kyle Shanahan’s team has looked against top competition this season, we can overlook a questionable fourth quarter against a bad Commanders team.
That nervy finish gave the defense — overlooked while the offense got off to a hot start — a chance to shine on the national stage. He didn’t disappoint, coming up with two shutouts to end Washington’s comeback bid. The 49ers’ pass rush is still coming home without defensive end Nick Bosa, Fred Warner remains the best linebacker in the NFL, and the secondary has been sticky in coverage all season.
Offense is still the engine that powers this 49ers machine. Shanahan has regained his title as the NFL’s best player. A healthy Christian McCaffrey has revamped the running game, and he looks fresher now that Shanahan has him in stronger early numbers. Shanahan’s scheme changes have also improved the running game. He still seems to be tinkering with new strategies, so we haven’t seen the final form yet.
With Brock Purdy in a heater, the passing game looks better than ever, but some concerns remain after wide receiver Mike Evans left the game with an Achilles injury. This offense has already had to contend without a full deck this season. Christian Kirk did not play and Deebo Samuel was unavailable Monday night. If the 49ers have to play without Evans for an extended period of time, Shanahan and Purdy should be able to keep the passing game afloat.
Speaking of which…
2.
Brock Purdy is the MVP favorite
They don’t hand out MVP awards in mid-October, but if they did, Purdy would win it by a unanimous vote.
Purdy’s excellent start put him in great company after Monday night’s performance. Only two quarterbacks have ever started 6-0 and recorded 15 touchdowns with two or fewer turnovers in that span: Tom Brady in 2015 and Brock Purdy this year.
Monday night was a good showcase for the No. 49 quarterback, who completed 21-of-29 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line certainly made it easy for Purdy. He only faced pressure on 17.6% of his returns, according to Next Gen Stats, but whenever things broke down around him, Purdy found a way to make a play. All three of his tackles went for first downs, and he made this ridiculous throw with a Washington defender at his feet.
Purdy will face tougher tests down the line, but if he continues to beat these tomato-can defenses and the 49ers continue to rack up wins, another player will be fighting to unseat him in the MVP race. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson will have something to say about that, but it will be hard to keep up with Purdy’s statistical pace if he and Shanahan can keep the offense going like it is.
Purdy also made history on Monday night. He now has enough career attempts to qualify for the league’s all-time passing lists, making him the NFL leader in career passing yards.
Brock Purdy was excellent in the first half against the Commanders before slowing down after halftime. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
3.
Commanders show heart but the clock is ticking on Dan Quinn
The past two weeks have been one long ritual of humiliation for the Commanders franchise. A week after delivering a win against the Giants, coach Dan Quinn and Daniels combined for another situational error on fourth down.
Not that it mattered: Washington was flagged for an illegal formation, and Daniels picked off a pickoff on fourth down with an open Antonio Williams running up the middle.
It is unclear whether any of the Commanders realized it was fourth down. Quinn signaled for the field goal team to take the field before realizing Washington had turned it over on downs.
Quinn’s confusion in that place is inexcusable. He is not a head coach, so game management should always be top of mind. Clearly, that was not the case then. And you’d think he’d be on high alert after last week’s debacle.
Washington has other problems outside of game management. The Commanders defense has not performed well throughout Quinn’s tenure, which is a bad sign for a coach who made his name as a defensive mind. The front office has poured money into the defensive line and still can’t create much pressure. Hiring Daronte Jones away from the Vikings staff hasn’t made much of a difference.
Dan Quinn entered the season in a hot seat that is still very warm after a 1-4-1 start. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Outside of starting quarterback Sonny Styles, who flashed a few times Monday night, it’s hard to find any bright spots in Quinn’s defense.
Quinn is bringing a lot to the table. His defense has been ineffective, the team’s young quarterback has regressed since his rookie season and situational football has been an issue. Whatever goodwill Quinn generated with the 2024 NFC title game is now gone. It could be playoffs or bust for the veteran coach.
3 ½. What’s next?
The 49ers will look to keep their perfect start in Atlanta ahead of a much-needed bye week. Games against the struggling Raiders and Cowboys follow the break, so San Francisco could be 9-0 when the Vikings visit in Week 11. It’s hard to see any defense slowing down this offense before then, but facing a Brian Flores-coached unit should provide a real test.
Washington may be down, but it’s not out of the NFC East race. However, this may not happen for several weeks. After their bye next week, the Commanders face a three-week stretch that includes games against the Eagles and Giants. If they lose those games, Washington can start looking forward to the offseason.
