Game Preview, Week 7: 49ers at Redskins
October 18, 2019
by Steve Thomas
The Washington Redskins have to jump from the frying pan straight into the fire this week, going from winning a squeaker against the worst team in the NFL to facing perhaps the second-best team in the league. The 49ers defense is ferocious, going toe to toe with the Patriots for the title of best in the business. Granted, San Francisco is coming across three time zones for a 1:00 pm start, but still . . . this game is a tall order. The 49ers have basically manhandled every team they’ve faced, including the reigning NFC champion Rams last week. It therefore seems like too much to ask for the Redskins to marshall up a game-winning performance, but you never know. In order to win, Bill Callahan and company are going to have to dredge up their best offensive performance of the season, far better than anything they’ve done so far.
Game time & location: Sunday, October 20, 2019, 1:00 p.m. ET, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, Raljon, MD; Gates open 11:00 a.m. ET; Red Zone parking lots open 8:00 a.m.; all other parking lots 9:00 a.m.
Television: Fox
Television announcers: Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin
TV broadcast map: Click here
DC-area radio: The Team 980
Redskins radio network: Click here
49ers radio network: Click here
Satellite radio: XM: 225 (Redskins broad.) Sirius: 83 (Redskins broad); internet: 831 (Redskins broad.)
Redskins roster: Click here
Redskins depth chart: Click here
49ers roster: Click here
49ers depth chart: Click here
All-time head-to-head record vs 49ers: 10 – 17 – 1 (last 10: 4 – 6) (streak: 1 – 0)
Last meeting: W, October 15, 2015, 26 – 24
Early odds: 49ers, -9.5
3 KEYS TO THE GAME
Produce an efficient run game against one of the top run defenses in the league
I realize that this is easier said that done, but establishing the run is a mandatory requirement in this game if the Redskins are going to have a prayer of winning this game. The 49ers play ball control, running football, and the Redskins will have to run the ball to take that away. Plus, the 49ers pass defense has produced elite results, so unless Terry Mclaurin has a monster game, it’s not likely that Washington will get very far in the air, and that makes Adrian Peterson and company all that much more important. I think it’s more possible to get a run game going than to make significant progress in the air. If the Redskins can’t figure out how to run the ball in this game, the chances of winning dwindles significantly.
Slow down George Kittle and Matt Breida
Breida and Kittle are the San Francisco offense. That’s not to say that they don’t have other talented players, because they do, such as receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Raheem Mostert. The fact of the matter is, though, that Breida and Kittle are the two that the 49ers rely on the most. The Redskins have, somewhat infamously, allowed talented tight ends to run wild for many years, and now they face another one in Kittle, who happens to be the cornerstone of the San Francisco passing attack. For his part, Breida has averaged 5.8 yards per carry so far this season, and he’s the primary engine behind the machine. Stop, or at least slow down, these two, and the Redskins might just have a chance.
Play mistake-free football
One thing the Redskins definitely can’t afford to do against a powerhouse team like San Francisco is make tons of stupid mistakes and rack up double digit penalties like they have repeatedly done this season. The team did well in that regard last week against the sad-sack Dolphins, which is good, but it’s essential this week. Washington won’t get too many second chances if they stupidly kill their own drives and extend 49er drives with silly penalties. Mistake free play is the only path to victory on Sunday. Fortunately, interim head coach Bill Callahan has emphasized this point in his two weeks in the captain’s chair, so keep your fingers crossed.
3 KEY MATCHUPS
Morgan Moses and Donald Penn vs Dee Ford
Ford is a 2018 Pro Bowler who already has 3.5 sacks in 2018. Morgan Moses hasn’t had his best year, and now he and Donald Penn are facing another elite pass rusher. Ford can be disruptive, and that’s the last thing Case Keenum needs. If the Redskins are going to have any shot of establishing a rhythm in the pass game, he must have a clean pocket, and that means that Moses and Penn need to keep Dee Ford the heck out of the backfield. This one might be a bit under the radar as far as key matchups go, but it’s going to be a critical one on Sunday afternoon.
Richard Sherman vs Terry McLaurin
There’s no debate anymore that Terry Mclaurin is the Redskins’ best receiver. He’s much more than just a fast guy – he’s an elite route runner who knows how to get open. The Redskins desperately need him to do his thing and catch a deep ball or two and generally cause havoc in the 49er secondary. Unfortunately, Richard Sherman is an All-Pro corner who’s seen it all, is football smart, and doesn’t necessarily rely on raw athleticism. In other words, he might be a perfect foil for Scary Terry. One way or the other, Mclaurin needs to make this matchup work to open up the 49er defense a bit and allow the Redskins running game to succeed.
Landon Collins and Jonathan Bostic vs George Kittle
We’ve all seen many a tight end streaking free down the field against the Redskins over the years. George Kittle could do the same thing if the Redskins aren’t careful. It’s going to fall to Landon Collins and probably Jonathan Bostic to cover Kittle. He’s the 49ers’ #1 target and will have to be dealt with effectively in order for the Redskins to have a shot at a win. Landon and Jon, you two guys are up.
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT (as of Thursday (active roster only)) (starters in bold)
LP – limited practice FP – full practice DNP – did not practice
NIR – not injury related Q – questionable O – out
D – doubtful NL – not listed
| Redskins | 49ers |
| S D. Everett, ankle; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | DT D. Buckner, NIR; Wed: DNP; Thurs: NL; Fri: NL |
| LB J. Harvey-Clemons, hamstring; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | DT D.J. Jones, hamstring; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| QB C. Keenum, right shoulder, foot; Wed: DNP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | RB K. Juszczyk, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| G W. Martin, chest; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | TE G. Kittle, groin; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP |
| CB J. Norman, thigh, hand; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: Q | T M. McGlinchey, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| RB A. Peterson, quad; Wed: DNP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | RB R. Mostert, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| RB C. Thompson, toe; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | WR D. Samuel, groin; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| TE V. Davis, concussion; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: O | T J. Staley, fibula; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| T D. Penn, NIR; Wed: LP; Thurs: NL; Fri: NL | CB A. Witherspoon, foot; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| DE D. Ford, quad; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | |
| CB K. Williams, hand; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP |
TEAM STATISTICS
Redskins:
I really was hoping to be able to say that the Redskins had a “get well” game against the Dolphins last week, but the truth is that, at least from a statistical point of view, the only thing that got better was rushing efficiency – they did raise their team rushing yards per attempt to 4.0, which is a significant improvement over prior weeks this season. Other than that, though, it was more of the same, and the team is currently 29th in points, 28th in total yards, terrible in time of possession and third down conversions (31st in both). The fact that Washington is facing maybe the top defense in the league in the 49ers likely won’t help those numbers improve.
Defensively, the Redskins are still dumpster diving in the major categories – points (28th), total yards (27th), opponents third down conversions (31st, only ahead of Miami). Where they have improved, at least statistically, is in opposing quarterback rating (now down to 101.2 from 110 thanks to the awfulness that was Josh Rosen), passing yards per attempt (16th), and rushing yards per attempt (21st). The 49ers main weapons are the aforementioned Breida, who is averaging 5.8 yards per carry, and Kittle, so the defense should focusing on limiting the output from those two players.
Record: 1 – 5 (4th) (Home: 0 – 3; NFC: 0 – 4)
All-time franchise record: 601 – 595 – 28
Offense
| Offensive rankings | 29 (points) / 28 (total yards) / 28 (yards per game) / 27 (yards per play) / 23 (passing yards) / 26 (passing yards per att.) / 25 (rushing yards) / 21 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points for | 90 |
| Yards per game | 286.5 |
| Passing
|
204 att (15th); 132 comp; 64.7% comp per. (17th); 6.7 Y/A; 1230 net yds; 9 TD; 8 Int |
| Passing leader | Keenum (160 att, 1136 yds (22nd), 65.6% comp perc (13th), 9 TDs / 4 Int, 94.7 QB rating (17th) |
| Receiving leader | Thompson (276 yds, 38 tgts (49th), 27 rec (37th), 0 TD, 10.2 YPC); McLaurin (408 yds (22nd), 38 tgts (49th), 23 rec, 5 TDs, 17.7 YPC) |
| Rushing | 121 att (27th); 489 yds; 4.0 Y/A; 81.5 Y/G (25th); 2 TD |
| Rushing leader | Peterson (63 att (32nd), 226 yds (37th), 1 TD, 3.6 Y/A (34th), long 25) |
| Sacks surrendered / rank | 15 / 21 |
| Ave time of possession / rank | 26:39 / 31 |
| 3rd down conversion rate / rank | 23.44% / 31 |
| TD percentage in red zone / rank | 50.0% / 24 |
Defense
| Defensive rankings | 28 (points) / 27 (total yards) / 25 (yards per game surrendered) / 19 (yards per play) / 24 (passing yards) / 16 (passing yards per att.) / 28 (rushing yards) / 21 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points against | 167 |
| Yards per game surrendered | 385.0 |
| Opponent’s passing | 217 att (24th); 157 comp; 72.4% comp perc. (31st); 7.4 Y/A; 1506 net yds; 14 TDs; QB Rating 101.2 (23rd) |
| Opponent’s rushing | 174 att (24th); 804 yds; 4.6 Y/A; 5 TD; 134.0 Y/G (28th) |
| Sacks / rank / Sack leader | 14 /19 / Allen (3.0) |
| Tackles leader | Collins (55) |
| Int / rank / Int leader | 7 / 7 / Dunbar (3) |
| Opponent 3rd down conv rate / rank | 50.6% / 31 |
| Opponent TD percentage in red zone / rank | 63.64% / 26 |
Special Teams
| Kick returns | 22.6 Y/R (14th), 10 returns, long 45 yards, 0 TDs |
| Punt returns | 8.0 Y/R (14th), 8 returns, long 15 yards (23rd), 0 TDs |
| Kick return defense | 19.5 Y/R (7th), 4 returns, 0 TD |
| Punt return defense | 8.4 Y/R (23rd), 18 returns, 0 TD |
| Punting | 50.1 Y/P (1st) |
Turnovers (lost by O / recv’d by D / net / rank): 8 / 6 / -2 / 22
Penalties (total accepted # / rank): 51 / 30
49ers:
San Francisco’s offense is a rushing-first operation. This team has the fewest number of pass attempts in the league and the 2nd-highest number of rushing attempts. Breida is averaging almost 6 yards per carry (5.8, 3rd); he and Kittle are the heart and soul of this offense. It isn’t particularly high scoring (12th in total points) or explosive (10th in yards per play). It’s a ball control offense (2nd in time of possession). The truth is that quarterback Jimmy Garappolo’s stats aren’t very different from Case Keenum’s numbers. To win this game, the Redskins need to figure out a way to slow down San Francisco’s rushing attack.
In contrast to the offense, the 49er defense is all it’s cracked up to be. This unit is “Legit”, with a capital “L”. They are 2nd in points surrendered, 1st in total yards, 1st in passing yards, 3rd in rushing yards, 1st in red zone defense, and 2nd in opponent’s quarterback rating. One possible area to exploit for Washington is via Adrian Peterson; the 49ers are #3 in rushing yards mainly because opponents have rushed much, which is due to the fact that they haven’t had the ball much. 49ers opponents have a total of just 107 rushing attempts on the season, but they are averaging 4.1 yards per attempt. If the Redskins can pull a rabbit out of a hat and get Peterson going for a second week in a row, they might have chance.
Record: 5 – 0 (1st) (Away: 3 – 0; NFC: 3 – 0)
All-time franchise record: 575 – 486 – 16
Offense
| Offensive rankings
|
12 (points) / 19 (total yards) / 4 (yards per game) / 10 (yards per play) / 26 (passing yards) / 8 (passing yards per att.) / 3 (rushing yards) / 12 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points for | 147 |
| Yards per game | 408.0 |
| Passing | 147 att (32nd); 103 comp; 70.1% comp per. (5th); 8.0 Y/A; 1141 net yds; 7 TDs; 5 Int |
| Passing leader | Garoppolo (146 att, 1163 yds (21st), 69.9% comp per., 7 TDs / 5 Int, 95.2 QB rating (15th)) |
| Reception leader | Kittle (338 yds (39th), 37 tgts (52nd), 31 rec (27th), 1 TD, 10.9 Y/C) |
| Rushing | 195 att (2nd); 899 yds; 4.6 Y/A; 179.8 Y/G (2nd); 8 TDs |
| Rushing leader | Breida (65 att (28th), 376 yds (14th), 1 TD, 5.8 Y/A (3rd), long 83 yds) |
| Sacks surrendered / rank | 6 / 3 |
| Ave time of possession / rank | 35:03 / 2 |
| 3rd down conversion rate / rank | 45.45% / 10 |
| TD percentage in red zone / rank | 45.45% / 26 |
Defense
| Defensive rankings | 2 (points) / 1 (total yards) / 2 (yards per game surrendered) / 2 (yards per play) / 1 (passing yards) / 3 (passing yards per att.) / 3 (rushing yards) / 11 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points against | 64 |
| Yards per game surrendered | 237.4 |
| Opponent’s passing | 153 att (2nd); 82 comp; 53.6% comp per. (2nd); 5.7 Y/A; 751 net yds; 5 TD; QB Rating 62.5 (2nd) |
| Opponent’s rushing | 107 att (2nd); 436 yds; 4.1 Y/A; 1 TD |
| Sacks / rank / Sack leader | 17 / 11 / Ford (3.5) |
| Tackles leader | Warner (31) |
| Int / rank / Int leader | 7 / 7 / Sherman, Williams (2) |
| Opponent 3rd down conv rate / rank | 29.51% / 4 |
| Opponent TD percentage in red zone / rank | 25.0% / 1 |
Special Teams
| Kick returns | 16.6 Y/R (32nd), 5 returns, long 26 yards, 0 TDs |
| Punt returns | 11.5 Y/R (3rd), 11 returns, long 32 yards (8th), 0 TDs |
| Kick return defense | 22.1 Y/R (17th), 16 returns, 0 TDs |
| Punt return defense | 0.5 Y/R (1st), 4 returns, 0 TD |
| Punting | 43.4 Y/P (27th) |
Turnovers (lost by O / recv’d by D / net / rank): 5 / 7 / +2 / 11
Penalties (total accepted # / rank): 33 / 4
* Statistics courtesy of www.pro-football-reference.com, www.nflpenalties.com, www.nfl.com, www.teamrankings.com, www.espn.com, www.sportingcharts.com