49ers hold off Commanders' furious second-half rally to go 6-0 — SkimNews
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- San Francisco 49ers improved to 6-0 with a 23-17 win over the Washington Commanders, overcoming a 20-point second-half lead that nearly slipped away due to penalties and defensive lapses.
- Mike Evans left the game with soreness in his right Achilles after a 16-yard catch, did not return, and though no imaging is expected, his exit coincided with a sharp drop in offensive momentum.
- Brock Purdy reached 1,500 career pass attempts during the game, finishing 21-of-29 for 264 yards and one touchdown while maintaining his status as the highest-rated passer among qualified quarterbacks in NFL history.
- Christian McCaffrey had 25 touches for 117 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns—the most active game of his season—partly due to the team's need to lean on him after Evans' injury.
- Washington Commanders mounted a 17-point second-half rally from a 20-3 deficit, with Jayden Daniels throwing for 300 yards and two touchdowns, showing resilience despite their 1-4-1 record.
- Commanders' defense allowed only 64 yards and three points in the second half after giving up 303 yards and 20 in the first, marking a dramatic turnaround that nearly produced an upset.
- 49ers special teams continued to struggle: Jacob Cowing muffed a punt inside the 5-yard line, Eddy Pineiro missed his third extra point and sixth kick of the season, and fair-catch interference gave Washington favorable field position late.
Why it matters: The 49ers remain the NFL’s only undefeated team, but their thinning receiving corps and unreliable special teams create real vulnerabilities as the season progresses. With six missed kicks already—more than any other team and exceeding last year’s total—the margin for error is shrinking despite dominant offensive and defensive units.
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