Upon seeing the final score, the first thought in many Commanders’ fans’ minds might just have been, “How did the Commanders defense give up 37 points?”
Some no doubt will say the defense played the worst they had all season because they gave up the most points in this game. But isn’t that rather simplistic? Consider the following:
A turning point was no doubt when Washington, trailing 14-7 in the third quarter, faced a 4th & 1 from their own 34. Taylor Heinicke’s quarterback sneak was unsuccessful.
Thus the 49ers started on the Washington 34. On 2nd & 9 from the 33, Jeremy Reaves committed a common error that entirely too many Commanders make. Brock Purdy faking a handoff wide right, Reaves naively came off the edge chasing the running back. You are NEVER going to make that play, so why not go to the quarterback, because if he keeps the ball, you have lost all contain.
Sure enough, Purdy was easily outside of Reaves, found George Kittle who also received the benefit of a hold from Jauan Jennings on Darrick Forrest, and suddenly the Commanders were down 21-7.
Next, trailing 24-14, Heinicke was sacked, fumbled and the 49ers recovered at the 11. Yet the Commanders held to only yield a field goal.
Two plays later, Heinicke again gave up the ball with an interception to Jimmie Ward at the Washington 25. Once again the defense held, limiting the 49ers to another field goal.
Joey Slye’s unfortunate onside kick attempt gave the 49ers yet another extremely short field, as they started on the Commanders’ 33-yard line on their way to scoring their final points, a Christian McCaffrey 1-yard run. Consequently, four times the 49ers scored, it was the result of a short field.
On the other side of the coin, the Commanders did give up a 71-yard touchdown run by Ray-Ray McCloud. Not sure if that was a called run blitz by Jamin Davis, but he took himself entirely out of the play from the start.
Not to be overlooked, the Commanders badly missed safety, Kam Curl. Incidentally, Curl was also injured, missing the first two games of the season. In Week 2, the Commanders yielded 36 points and several explosive plays to the Lions.
