‘All eyes’ on Commanders as they look to rebound against 49ers
by Liam Griffin · The Washington TimesThe Washington Commanders face an uphill battle Monday against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco is firing on all cylinders through five games. Quarterback Brock Purdy has looked like an MVP.
Veteran wide receiver Mike Evans has reclaimed his status as one of the league’s elite downfield receivers. Running back Christian McCaffrey has remained electric with a decreased workload. The 49ers defense ranks in the top six in both points and yards allowed per game.
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The Commanders plan to take the challenge head-on.
That was the agenda for the first month of the season, too, though Washington limped to a disappointing 1-3-1 start. The pressure is on for coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels — now in their third season with the Commanders — after a clock management fiasco left them with a disappointing tie last week against the New York Giants.
“We must see the play style that we like. We must, in all three phases. And then the next thing is we must see the execution of our systems,” Quinn said Saturday. “And that doesn’t mean every play’s perfect, but it does mean right spot, right location, right hit, all of those. Both these teams are physical, and San Francisco’s proven not to be a team that beats themself.”
Purdy has recorded just a pair of interceptions in the five season-opening wins. The 2023 seventh-rounder ranks second in the league in passer rating, trailing only Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
He’s in the middle of the best stretch of his career, with strong play further buoyed by the presence of Evans, McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle.
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Evans, who signed with San Francisco as a free agent in the offseason, has been particularly impactful downfield. More than 64% of his targets have come on throws more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.
That’s where the Commanders have struggled. Washington’s defense has allowed a league-high 10 touchdowns and a second-highest 12.4% completion percentage allowed over expectation, according to the league’s Next Gen Stats.
The 33-year-old Evans is questionable to play on Monday though, joining the injury report with issues affecting his heel and ribs.
If Evans plays, Washington cornerback Amik Robertson is confident he can shut down the future Hall of Famer — despite the eight-inch height differential in the receiver’s favor.
“Great player. Made a lot of plays in this league. Physical, big, strong, very dependable guy,” Robertson said this week. “You just compete. When good things happen, you keep charging him. When bad things happen, you keep charging him.”
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Evans isn’t the only weapon at Purdy’s disposal. Kittle entered Sunday tied for first among NFL tight ends with four touchdowns on the year. Washington’s defense has allowed seven touchdown grabs to the position, ranking second in the league.
Washington’s secondary has proven porous throughout the first month of the season. Disastrous second halves have often followed promising starts. Against New York, quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 254 yards in the second half and overtime after posting just 72 yards in the first 30 minutes. Tight end Isaiah likely managed seven catches for 54 yards and a pair of touchdowns after the halftime break.
The Commanders need to avoid a repeat performance.
“We’re still evaluating,” defensive coordinator Daronte Jones said this week. “I can help these guys be better with the way I call it, putting them in better situations … to — if there’s stress coming about — it’s my job to eliminate that stress and to calm everyone down.”
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The 49ers won’t make that easy, even with injuries across the roster.
Evans has been playing with a broken rib. An Achilles issue has cast doubt on his availability this week.
Fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel — who led the Commanders in catches and receiving yards last season — won’t play for the 49ers on Monday due to a hamstring injury. Pass rusher Nick Bosa is still sidelined with a calf strain, while linebacker Dre Greenlaw is suspended after headbutting an opponent last week.
The offensive scheme won’t change for San Francisco, even without Evans and Samuel. Coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, which has spread throughout the league thanks to an ever-growing tree of disciples, will be in full effect.
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“They can have the same personnel grouping and give you totally different looks, but we’ve been stressing to our guys: motion causes emotion and it’s a lot of motion to expect that this week,” Jones said. “Understand it’s not how they line up; it’s how they wind up.”
The week-to-week game planning for the Commanders has remained unchanged. But Monday’s matchup features severe stakes for a mid-October game.
A loss would drop the Commanders to 1-4-1 at the bye week before matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants. Quinn’s record since leading the Commanders to an unlikely playoff run in 2024 would fall to 5-16-1. Daniels’ streak of days without a win — he missed Washington’s Week 3 victory against the Seattle Seahawks with a dislocated elbow — would extend to at least 392 days.
Calls from outside the organization have questioned Quinn’s job security. He’s on the hot seat. That’s to be expected after a week spent accepting responsibility for one of the most baffling ties in league history.
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But the third-year coach of the Commanders hasn’t lost the locker room. The players sense the pressure, though.
“Regardless of how people talk about him, we love DQ here,” Daniels said ahead of Washington’s first primetime game of the season. “Obviously, all eyes are on him. All eyes are on me.”
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Liam Griffin
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