The 49ers keep stacking wins, and George Kittle doesn’t sound interested in dressing it up into anything bigger than that.
After San Francisco’s big Week 6 victory over the Washington Commanders, the tight end made it clear on ESPN’s Sportscenter that the team’s mindset is built around staying locked in on the immediate task. The 49ers are 6-0 and, at least for now, tracking toward a possible unbeaten run that would match the ’72 Dolphins.
“That's our goal, right, when we talk about it, it's like, ‘Hey, I'm in year ten right now, I just want to win,'” Kittle said.
He followed that up by explaining why the team is resisting the temptation to look too far down the road.
“If you look at the big picture too much, I think it adds way too much pressure…And like, that's all it is, so I think we're doing a really good job this year, of like, one week that's all that matters.”
Kittle also pointed to fullback Kyle Juszczyk as a voice that helped shape the approach the 49ers took entering the game against Washington. The message, as Kittle described it, was simple: focus on the Commanders and do whatever it takes to get the win before turning to the October 25 game at the Falcons.
San Francisco handled its business early. Brock Purdy found Kittle for the first score of the day, a sharp 11-yard touchdown catch to the middle-left corner of the end zone that was as precise in the design as it was in the finish.
The 49ers’ defense then closed the door. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ unit got a sack from Romello Height on Jayden Daniels, a stop that ended up being one of the walk-off variety.
With the win, San Francisco moved to 6-0, and Kittle says the formula is already in front of them. Few fans are arguing with the results as Week 7 approaches.
In Other News...
49ers Undefeated Buzz Just Ran Into A Much Tougher Reality
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Now comes the part where the schedule starts asking harder questions. San Francisco is already managing injury concerns for its receiving corps, with Mike Evans working through an Achilles issue and Deebo Samuel dealing with a hamstring problem that could hang around, and the next stretch brings Atlanta, Dallas, Minnesota and Seattle in succession. For a team that has looked sharp enough to fuel real buzz, this is the kind of run that can quickly turn a promising start into a much more revealing test. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Now Comes With A Discipline Debate Fans Will Hate
The 49ers left Monday night with another win, but the finish of their 23-17 victory over Washington added a sour note to an otherwise perfect start. Rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton was in the middle of the play that sent Commanders lineman Sam Cosmi out of the game injured, and the sequence quickly became one of the biggest talking points from a night that pushed San Francisco to 6-0 while Washington dropped to 1-4-1.
The replay and the reaction around it are likely to follow the 49ers for a while, because the hit did not just get noticed, it drew immediate public criticism. With San Francisco trying to build on its best early-season run in years, the conversation around discipline and how far a defense should go while chasing a win is now part of the story, and it is not one fans will be eager to revisit. [Read more 🡒]
Troy Aikman Just Added A Surprising Twist To The 49ers Rivalry
On ESPNs Monday Night Football pregame show before the 49ers faced the Commanders, Troy Aikman took a moment to salute San Franciscos organization and the way it has been built to win. He praised the teams consistency and professionalism, saying Kyle Shanahans current operation belongs in the same conversation as the 49ers teams of the 1980s and 1990s, which is a notable nod from someone who spent years on the other side of this rivalry.
Aikmans comments carried a little extra intrigue because his ESPN contract is set to expire after this season, leaving open the possibility that he could hit the broadcasting market. For a franchise that has long valued stability and strong coaching, hearing one of the leagues most recognizable voices frame the 49ers that way only adds to the sense that this version of San Francisco still has plenty of league-wide respect attached to it. [Read more 🡒]