After a dramatic win over the reigning Super Bowl champs, the San Francisco 49ers look like the class of the NFL. But coach Kyle Shanahan knows better than to overlook one of his old clubs, one that could be playing angry.
The Niners put their unbeaten record on the line against the Washington Commanders on Monday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
The 49ers are off to their third 5-0 start under Shanahan and their second in four years. They also went 8-0 to begin the 2019 campaign on their way to appearing in Super Bowl LIV.
They are riding high off an entertaining 32-29 win last week at the rival Seattle Seahawks — one in which San Francisco’s defense earned four takeaways and powered a comeback from an eight-point second-half deficit.
Shanahan likened this week to the 49ers’ other marquee win — over the Los Angeles Rams in Australia in Week 1 — saying he loved how his players attacked their work in the week that followed. And the former Washington offensive coordinator (2010-13) warned that the Commanders are better than their 1-3-1 record.
“We’ve had an extra day off, we had a real emotional win and I know we got a really good team coming in here that’s as hungry as can be, and I know it’s probably gonna be our biggest challenge so far,” Shanahan said.
Washington aims to move forward from a 27-27 tie against the New York Giants that could have been a much-needed victory. Jayden Daniels, who looked sharp in his return from a dislocated non-throwing elbow, scrambled with no timeouts and the clock winding down in overtime. The Commanders did not hustle back to the line in time to spike the ball and set up a game-winning field goal try.
Both head coach Dan Quinn and Daniels have shouldered the blame in public.
“Ultimately, it’s on me,” Daniels said Thursday. “… Regardless of what happens, I’m the person on the field who’s supposed to calm everything, control everything, and I failed to the standard I hold myself to and the standard of this organization. … It was a failure in my eyes. I know I’m better than that, I hold myself to a higher standard than that. Moving forward, I’ll grow from it, learn from it and it’ll never happen again.”
Daniels ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just nine rushes to go with 199 yards on 17-of-25 passing in that game, drawing praise from this week’s opposing coach.
“You take away the running element of him, just how he plays in the pocket is so natural,” Shanahan said, “with how accurate he is, how strong his arm is, how poised he is going through the progression, how fearless he is hanging in there and taking a hit and keeping his eyes down the field.”
Daniels also took five sacks against New York, but this week he may get to avoid two of the 49ers’ top defenders. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw will serve a one-game suspension after he headbutted a Seattle player on the sidelines who was not wearing a helmet. Nick Bosa didn’t practice Thursday, though Shanahan said he’s hopeful the elite pass rusher will be ready to return from calf and knee injuries that sidelined him the last three games.
Renardo Green collected two interceptions off Seattle’s Sam Darnold, while the 49ers’ star performer on offense was Mike Evans. He fought for multiple key first downs on his way to seven catches, 113 yards and one touchdown.
In his first season in San Francisco, the longtime Buccaneers star has played through multiple injuries, including two broken ribs.
“He’s a dog. That’s all I can say,” quarterback Brock Purdy told reporters. “He fights through stuff. He’s competitive as heck, and he’s going to go out there and obviously give the team every chance or everything that he’s got, even if he’s going through stuff.”
The 49ers have been devastated by injuries at wide receiver all season, the latest being to No. 2 wideout Deebo Samuel. He figures to miss multiple weeks after straining a hamstring against Seattle, so it was welcome news for the 49ers that they opened Christian Kirk’s 21-day practice window Thursday. Kirk has yet to play this season due to a calf strain.
Evans sat out Thursday’s practice due to his ribs as well as Achilles soreness. Defensive lineman Gracen Halton (quadricep) also sat out. Kirk was limited along with fullback Kyle Juszczyk (knee), tackle Colton McKivitz (illness) and defensive back Siran Neal (neck).
Seven Commanders missed Thursday’s practice: backup quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee), running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin), wideout Stefon Diggs (hamstring), defensive end Charles Omenihu (groin, ankle), linebacker Javontae Jean-Baptiste (pec) and safeties Percy Butler (hamstring) and Tyler Owens (hamstring). They did get secondary reinforcements, with cornerback Trey Amos (ankle) and safety Nick Cross (illness) returning in full.