Brock Purdy connected with George Kittle for a touchdown on the first drive of the game, giving the 49ers an early 7-0 lead, but that dominant start quickly gave way to a second half full of shaky plays and missed opportunities that made this Week 6 win over the Commanders a whole lot tighter than it needed to be. The Niners started strong, the kind of start you dream of, then nearly tripped over themselves trying to close it out.
Early Fireworks and a Near Perfect Start
Jordan James got things moving right away, taking the opening kickoff to the 36-yard line. From there, the 49ers offense went to work. Mike Evans, starting at wide receiver opposite Jordan Watkins, snagged a 25-yard pass on the first play. Jacob Cowing came in on the first third down, and Kaelon Black converted a crucial 3rd-and-1 to keep the chains moving. They quickly got into the red zone, and Purdy, who was a sharp 5-for-6 on the drive, hit Kittle for that opening score. That was the third time this season the Niners kicked off a game with a touchdown drive.
The Commanders tried to answer, with Jayden Daniels finding Terry McLaurin for 27 yards on what looked like a busted coverage. But the Niners defense held strong. Luke Gifford limited Daniels’ scramble, and Malik Mustapha spooked Stefon Diggs into a drop, forcing Washington to settle for a 51-yard field goal.
Then the Niners offense came right back out. Mike Evans, clearly over any Achilles soreness, gained 54 yards to start the second drive, putting them right back in the red zone. Things got a little dicey, though. Christian McCaffrey lost three yards on a screen pass, and Connor Colby’s false start led to a 3rd and long. But Purdy, looking for options, scrambled for a first down on 4th and 3. On third-and-goal from the one-yard line, McCaffrey punched it in, marking their second consecutive scoring drive. This one took a little under five minutes on 8 plays. The only bad news? Eddy Pineiro missed the extra point, making it 13-3. Those misses add up, man.
The Wheels Almost Came Off
After that strong start, the Commanders found a way back in, and the Niners got sloppy. Luke Farrell’s facemask on the kickoff gifted Washington great field position. While Daniels’ scramble was negated by a Romello Height holding flag, you could feel the momentum shift. Gracen Halton won his matchup, forcing Daniels out of the pocket, and Osa Odighizuwa rewarded Raheem Morris’s blitz with a huge sack on third and 9, forcing a punt. The sight of McLaurin leaving on the cart after that play, that is never what you want to see.
Then came the baffling play: Jacob Cowing inexplicably fielded a punt, then muffed it. That gave the Commanders a massive 58-yard gain in field position. Mike Evans was held on one play, then couldn’t hold on to a third-down target, forcing another 49ers punt.
Washington capitalized on more Niners’ miscues. Their third drive saw busted coverage with two players guarding one, leaving Chig Okonkwo wide open 35 yards downfield. He stepped out of bounds six yards earlier, but it was still a 29-yard gain, and Washington was knocking on the door again. Daniels was stopped short of the sticks on third down, forcing a 4th-and-2. But Daniels threw it away, and the Niners forced a red-zone stop.
Just as Purdy seemed to get back on track, finding Jordan Watkins for 22 yards and Brandin Cooks for 13 on a slant, another huge mistake happened. Christian McCaffrey fumbled for the first time this season, giving the ball right back to Washington. Gracen Halton drew a holding flag on the next play, but the damage was done. They got the win, sure, but man, those late-game jitters? That’s the real story here.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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