The 49ers didn’t play a clean first half on Monday night, but they still walked into the locker room with a cushion that looked pretty comfortable: 20-3.
San Francisco piled up 303 yards before halftime and got big production from Brock Purdy, who went 17-of-22 for 214 yards and a touchdown. Christian McCaffrey was a problem throughout the half, finishing with 16 touches for 82 yards and two scores. George Kittle added four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown.
The Commanders had chances to make the opening 30 minutes far more interesting. They drove to the San Francisco 33 and the 13, but kept coming up short. On top of that, Eddy Piñeiro missed his third extra point of the season, and the 49ers helped their own cause with a messy stretch that included McCaffrey losing his first fumble since Week 12 of 2024, Malik Mustapha’s second helmet-to-helmet hit of the season without a flag, and two penalties on Luke Farrell for 25 yards.
Washington’s offense never found much rhythm. The Commanders managed only two first downs, 17 plays and 90 yards in the half, with Jayden Daniels going 7-of-10 for 88 yards. Daniels also made another costly mistake, throwing away a fourth-and-2 pass with Washington at the San Francisco 13.
The injury news piled up, too. Terry McLaurin was carted off in the first quarter with a knee injury and was quickly ruled out.
Stefon Diggs appeared to hurt a finger on Mustapha’s illegal hit, though he returned. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw also limped off after McCaffrey’s touchdown run with 13 seconds left in the half.
One of the biggest concerns for San Francisco came with Mike Evans. Evans, who has been dealing with Achilles soreness, appeared to aggravate the issue on a 16-yard catch with 1:10 left in the first half and headed straight to the training room afterward. He had three catches for 94 yards before leaving.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Faces A Huge Monday Night Test Washington Needed
Jayden Daniels is back in the lineup just in time for one of the toughest assignments on Washingtons schedule, a Monday night trip to face the undefeated 49ers at Levis Stadium. The matchup has San Francisco favored by 7.5 points, and plenty of analysts are leaning toward the home team, but Washington is still expected to make things interesting if Daniels can help steady an offense that has needed him back.
The Commanders are carrying some injury concerns into the game, which only adds to the challenge of keeping pace with a 49ers team that has looked complete on both sides of the ball. Still, there is some positive momentum around Washingtons preparation, and one offensive situation in particular could matter a lot in how this night unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face One Huge Offensive Question Before 49ers Showdown
The buildup to Sundays Commanders-49ers matchup has been shaped as much by the injury report as by the standings, with both teams carrying a long list of absences into Week 6. Washington already knows it will be without Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Marcus Mariota, Charles Omenihu and Javontae Jean-Baptiste, while San Francisco has its own heavy hits to absorb with Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel ruled out and other players still in question.
For Washington, the biggest offensive swing may come down to Stefon Diggs, who is questionable with a hamstring injury after practicing on a limited basis. His status looms large for a Commanders offense that could use every available playmaker against a 49ers defense missing Bosa, even as San Francisco waits on a few more late-week decisions of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Sit Atop An NFC East Mess That Just Got Worse
The NFC East has spent the last stretch looking less like a race and more like a weekly inventory of missed chances, and Washington is in the thick of it again. The Cowboys loss to the Packers added to the divisions recent slide, while the Commanders head into their matchup with the 49ers as underdogs, with the Giants sitting atop a messy standings picture that could still shift fast.
Washingtons next result carries more weight than just one game, because the divisions latest stumble has left every outcome tied to the larger scramble around it. A win would tighten things up and give the Commanders a path to climb, but another loss would only deepen the pileup at the bottom of the NFC East and keep the Giants in the safest spot for the moment. [Read more 🡒]