San Francisco 49ers Steamroll Washington Redskins
By David Ochoa
Nov 25, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) scores a touchdown as Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson (26) defends in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
After a disappointing couple weeks, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Washington Redskins by a score of 27-6. Compared to the last two weeks, this game was a breath of fresh air to 49ers’ fans. It is a nice feeling to finally watch a competent offense work together with a dominating defense. The 49ers finally seemed to get back on track for at least this game. The entire team had a good game on both sides of the ball.
First Half:
The score going into halftime was 10-6. The offense started off slow, but picked up steam later into the first half. Although there were a couple decent drives in the first half, the 49ers left a little to be desired. The game could have been over by the second quarter. The Redskins couldn’t do anything on either sides of the ball and the 49ers didn’t completely capitalize. They need to be able to put a team down for the count once they get the chance. They can’t let teams stay alive and give them a chance later in the game. Overall, it was a good half compared to the last two games.
There isn’t much to say about the defense. They are as dominant and as stifling as ever. One thing I can say: Ahmad Brooks is playing at an All-Pro level this year. With the absence of Aldon Smith on the other side, Brooks has stepped up as a force against the run and the pass. The defense gave up a couple drives, but held strong in the red zone and held the Redskins to three points. That coupled with an interception that led to the team’s own three points, equals a good half for the defense.
Second Half:
The offense in the second half is the kind of offense the 49er fans want to see all the time. They looked efficient and strong in the passing game. Although once again Colin Kaepernick relied heavily on Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis, it was a good showing. The Redskins sold out for the run many times and dared Kaepernick to beat them with his arm and that’s exactly what he did. With the strong possibility of Michael Crabtree coming back next week, the offense might look as good as ever. Some people might say that it was against a weak defense, which is true, but it was a perfect chance for the 49ers’ offense to get into a groove. If they can keep the same momentum moving forward, coupled with the defense, the 49ers could be deadly.
After awhile, you just started to feel sorry for Robert Griffin III. The defense absolutely smothered him on almost every drop back. The defense has played extremely well the entire season and with Aldon Smith seemingly getting back to his normal form, it will be even better. The pass rush decimated the Redskins’ offensive line on almost every play. It was getting so bad, parents covered their children’s eyes as soon as RG3 dropped back to pass. The 49ers are going to need the continued dominant play from their defense with the home stretch of the season just around the corner.
Although it might have been against a much lesser team, the 49ers delivered a pounding to the Redskins in every phase of the game. The 49ers are now looking ahead to the St. Louis Rams who are travelling to Candlestick Park. And they hope to dish out another game like the one we just watched.