The San Francisco 49ers seek to stay unbeaten as they play host to a Washington Commanders team battling to stay in contention in the porous NFC East to close out Week 6 of the NFL season on Monday Night Football in Santa Clara, Calif.
ODDS AND TRENDS
The 49ers are 7.5-point favorites as they attempt to improve to 6-0. Despite being more than a touchdown favorite, San Francisco has attracted 75% of the spread-line bets and 84% of the money at BetMGM. The story is similar at BetRivers, where the 49ers have been backed by 80% and 74% of the action, respectively.
The total points line has shifted from 51 to 52 points at BetMGM, where the Over has drawn 53% of the total bets while the Under has attracted 59% of the money wagered. The action has been much more one-side at BetRivers, with the Over backed by 63% of the bets and 91% of the money.
The 49ers have won 10 consecutive games as the favorites at the book, while each of the Commanders’ past eight games against NFC opponents have gone over the total points line.
PROP PICKS
–49ers TE George Kittle Over 63.5 Reception Yards (-125 at BetMGM): Kittle is coming off a 24-yard receiving game against Seattle, breaking a streak of three consecutive games with at least 70 yards. Given San Francisco’s injuries at receiver, Kittle will remain a go-to target for quarterback Brock Purdy.
–49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Anytime TD Scorer (-270 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book. McCaffrey has five touchdowns on the season, all coming on the ground. Those have come over the past four games after he was held out of the end zone in the season-opening win over the Rams.
KEY STAT
The 49ers are off to their third 5-0 start under coach Kyle 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.
THE NEWS
San Francisco is riding high off an entertaining 32-29 win last week at the rival Seattle Seahawks — one in which the 49ers’ defense earned four takeaways and powered a comeback from an eight-point second-half deficit.
Coach Mike Shanahan likened this week to the 49ers’ other marquee win — over the 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. Quarterback 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 head-butted 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.”
INJURY REPORT
49ERS: San Francisco has been decimated 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).
COMMANDERS: Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) did not practice all week and was ruled out Saturday. Along with Croskey-Merritt, Quinn said quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee), edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste (pectoral) and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu (groin/ankle) will not travel with the team for the game.
Quinn said Croskey-Merritt re-injured the groin he hurt in August. “That’s harder, on the same injury,” he said. “We’ll work really hard to get him back.”
Croskey-Merritt leads the Commanders with 239 rushing yards and has two rushing touchdowns. He missed the final two preseason games with a groin injury.
Rachaad White (shoulder) and Austin Ekeler (chest) are expected to share running back duties, though both have been limited in practice. Jeremy McNichols, who began the season on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, will travel with the team and could be activated Monday.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who missed last Sunday’s 27-27 tie against the New York Giants, practiced Saturday, along with Terry McLaurin (hamstring). The pair have combined for 32 receptions, 373 yards and four scores this season.
Cornerback Trey Amos (ankle) and safety Nick Cross (illness) were full participants in practice and could return Monday. Amos has been on injured reserve, while Cross has been out since Week 2.
PREDICTION
The Commanders should play inspired in primetime while trying to become the lone NFC East team to win in Week 6. They have the defensive personnel to keep the game competitive if they can win the turnover battle. Washington still faces a massive uphill battle with Purdy playing at an MVP level and San Francisco’s defense back to its fast and ferocious style. –49ers 30, Commanders 23