The San Francisco 49ers snagged a 23-17 victory over the Washington Commanders on Monday night, but man, it got way too close for comfort after they had a commanding 23-3 lead. Like, seriously, what even happened? The Niners were absolutely cruising, dominating the first half and holding that massive lead through three quarters. They scored on four of their first six drives, looking completely in control. Then, the fourth quarter hit, and things got real dicey, real fast.
Offense Stalls While Defense Gets Grilled
It was like flipping a switch. The offense, which had been sustaining long possessions, suddenly went ice cold. They went three-and-out on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter, leaving their defense out there for most of the period. You gotta wonder about the playcalling, especially when those first two three-and-outs featured six straight pass plays. On the first one, Brock Purdy got sacked on first down, forcing them into long-distance throws on second and third, leading to a punt on 4th & 11. The next possession wasn’t much better: Purdy scrambled for six yards on a first-down dropback, but then took another sack on 2nd & 4, setting up another third-and-long before another punt. Talk about handing the other team momentum! Luckily for the Niners, those quick possessions didn’t bite them in the end. The defense stepped up, forcing a turnover on downs and ending the game with a sack. But still, the questions about Kyle Shanahan’s playcalling down the stretch were loud and clear.
Shanahan Dishes on the Fourth Quarter Frustration
So, what was going through the head coach’s mind during that wild finish? Shanahan didn’t hold back. He called it “a frustrating end there, just going three-and-out those last three drives on offense, having a chance to put them away.” He even admitted, “Thinking we did a couple of times and then having those penalties kept those drives going.” Shanahan’s never “always happy exactly with how it went. some of the stuff was frustrating.” But hey, he gave credit where it was due, saying he was “real proud of the guys for just the competitive stamina to keep it going all game.” He highlighted how they “obviously looked like we were going to run away with it” in the first half and that opening drive of the third quarter. He pointed out a big play where Frankie Luvu, number four, tipped a ball that should have been a touchdown, holding them to a field goal instead. Shanahan was particularly proud of the defense, praising “just the perseverance of the defense, just putting them back out there those three drives in a row.” And they did it despite losing key players like Luke Gifford and Upton Stout, with Jalen Graham and Ashtyn Davis having to step into “big pivotal roles.” He was “really proud of the defense for finding a way to overcome all those penalties and us not helping them out on O in the fourth.” That’s a pretty candid admission, right? The offense started the second half strong, going 11 plays for 65 yards on a six-minute drive that almost hit paydirt before they settled for a field goal, pushing the lead to 23-3. Shanahan called it “an awesome drive to start it out” and believed they “were going to sc” score.
Man, what a roller coaster of a game for the Niners. They got the W, but it definitely wasn’t pretty. It’s a reminder that even when you’re up big, you can’t ever take your foot off the gas.
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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