49ers Stay Perfect as Purdy Shines, Commanders Falter

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Outspoken With Dan Sileo

49ers Keep Rolling as Commanders Struggle With Decisions and Execution

The San Francisco 49ers continue to chug along, reinforcing their standing as one of the best organizations in the National Football League. General manager John Lynch has done a spectacular job putting talent on the roster, while Kyle Shanahan has established himself as a great coach and play designer.

Despite the team’s 6-0 record, Shanahan emphasized that he will feel good when the year is over and his team is the last one to win. Ultimately, he will be judged by what the 49ers accomplish in the postseason.

The same is true for Brock Purdy. After the latest win, Purdy acknowledged that the offense needed to keep its foot on the gas, make plays and put the game away rather than leave the defense in a difficult situation. He was upset with how he finished the game but noted that every NFL game is competitive and unpredictable. The 49ers will take the win, study the film and prepare for a short-week trip to Atlanta.

Purdy’s demeanor stands out. He has gone from Mr. Irrelevant to making more than $50 million, and all his starts at Iowa State have mattered. He is now in the MVP conversation and has proved to be a tremendous seventh-round find. After the Lance trade disaster, Purdy may have saved Lynch’s job.

On the other side, the Washington Commanders continue to make baffling decisions. Their fourth-down sequence raised questions throughout the broadcast, with Aikman and Buck saying the team needed to give itself an opportunity. Dan Quinn later said he knew it was fourth down and was discussing whether an illegal shift would leave an opportunity to attempt a field goal rather than result in a turnover on downs.

Quinn praised the way his team finished the third quarter and played through most of the fourth. He said the players demonstrated that they are built for difficult moments, but he also admitted that the first half was rough. Washington struggled on third downs on both sides of the ball and spent too much time battling itself against a tough San Francisco team. Quinn was sick about the ending but proud of how his players battled.

Those comments sounded like a captain at sea without a compass. That lack of direction also appears in the way the team is coached and in Jayden Daniels’ preparation and play.

Daniels said the Commanders have shown flashes of what they can be when they are at their best and avoid hurting themselves. He acknowledged that they cannot start slowly against a 5-0 or 6-0 team such as the 49ers. Washington competed hard, but Daniels admitted that competing only goes so far in the NFL and that the team failed to do what was necessary to win.

The Commanders need more self-reflection instead of excuses for failure. Daniels has tremendous talent, but his football decisions are becoming a concern. He is a former Rookie of the Year, yet his current trajectory is beginning to resemble RG3 2.0. Talent alone is not enough without smart football.