The San Francisco 49ers made things far more stressful than they needed to on Monday night, but the ugly part of the finish may end up being useful later. After building what looked like a comfortable cushion against the Washington Commanders, the Niners had to claw through a much tighter finish than expected before escaping with the win.
That kind of game can leave a scar in the moment. It can also teach a team something.
San Francisco has already been in a few close ones this season, with tight games against the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks. So this wasn’t a brand-new experience, and it definitely wasn’t the sort of 2023 run where the victories felt like routine blowouts. This version of the 49ers is getting tested in different ways, and that matters over the course of a long season.
The biggest takeaway may be on defense, where the 49ers had to dig in when the Commanders started pushing back. Young players like Gracen Halton, Romello Height, Jaden Dugger, Mykel Williams, and especially Malik Mustapha made timely plays when the margin was disappearing. That kind of contribution is exactly what a defense needs when the game stops being comfortable.
Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, and Nick Bosa are the names everyone knows, and for good reason. But championship-level defense is never just about the stars.
It takes all 11, and Monday night gave some of the younger players a chance to prove they can hold up when the pressure spikes. That kind of confidence can matter just as much in January as it does in October.
There’s also a warning for the offense tucked inside the win. Once wide receiver Mike Evans was out in the second half, the attack basically stalled.
That’s a sign of how important Evans is, but it also puts the spotlight on the rest of the unit. Either other players need to take on more, or general manager John Lynch may need to find another receiver.
Kyle Shanahan also had his own issues to sort through. His clock management drew attention late, especially when he didn’t use a timeout after the 49ers punted with about a minute left and a delay of game backed them up 5 yards. The mistake didn’t cost San Francisco the game, but it came close enough to bring back the old jokes about Shanahan and late-game leads.
In the end, the result is what counts. The 49ers won. And while the offense and Shanahan have work to do, the defense can leave Monday night with real positives after surviving a scare that should help them down the road.
In Other News...
Commanders Fans Had Plenty To Say About One Pregame Performance
Before kickoff at Levis Stadium on Monday night, Train vocalist Pat Monahan handled the national anthem before the Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers met under the prime-time lights. The matchup itself carried plenty of weight, with both teams coming in at 3-4, but the pregame moment quickly became a talking point for reasons unrelated to the standings.
Monahans rendition drew significant negative reaction on social media, where fans wasted little time weighing in on the performance. For a game that already had plenty at stake for both sides, the anthem became an unexpected early flashpoint and added another layer of chatter before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Are Undefeated But This Start Is Not Making Them Comfortable
The 49ers are rolling through the early part of the season with six straight wins, a perfect record and the top spot in the NFC, but the mood around the building has stayed measured. San Francisco is also 3-0 in the NFC West after taking care of the Seahawks and Rams, the kind of division start that usually makes a team feel comfortably ahead of the pack.
Kyle Shanahan, Trent Williams and Fred Warner have all spoken about the way the team is approaching the run, and the tone has been more about focus than celebration. Even with the results piling up, there is a clear sense that this start has not fully eased the concerns inside the locker room, especially with the long season still ahead and the margins in recent games still feeling tighter than the record suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Ex-49ers Depth Piece Suddenly Became A Much Bigger NFL Story
Jordan Elliotts stint with the Titans ended almost as quickly as it began, and the reason has turned him into a much bigger league-wide story than the former 49ers depth piece usually draws. Tennessee released him after an incident at the team facility involving a firearm in his car, and the Titans made clear the move came after a violation of NFL rules on possessing a gun on team property.
The situation only became more notable when Robert Saleh addressed it, calling it a lapse in judgment while still voicing support for Elliott. Saleh also nudged other teams to take a hard look at him, which leaves the attention less on the dismissal itself and more on whether another locker room is willing to give him a second chance after such a messy episode. [Read more 🡒]