49ers vs. Washington: San Francisco offense stalls out as 49ers fall out of playoff race
There was no miracle comeback for the 49ers as their playoff hopes hung by a thread.
San Francisco on Sunday in Arizona lost to Washington 23-15 after allowing the Football Team to score two defensive touchdowns to capitalize of Nick Mullens’ crucial mistakes.
The 49ers didn’t go down quietly. They made it a one-score game with a Kyle Juszczyk touchdown in the fourth quarter to quell the 23-0 run by Washington midway through the game. But it wasn’t enough as the offensive performance cost the defense a strong outing in which it allowed just 193 yards to Washington’s offense that lost Alex Smith at halftime to a calf injury.
Here’s our rundown of the action.
First quarter
Things did not get off to the start the 49ers would have liked. Receiver Deebo Samuel, taking a hand off wide left, came up lame and exited. Samuel, of course, had been dealing with a sore hamstring and missed the first practice of the week with a foot contusion.
The 49ers announced Samuel was questionable to return with a hamstring injury as the 49ers punted.
Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon made a surprise entrance into the lineup, making a third-down tackle that helped force a punt on Washington’s first possession. Witherspoon had been a healthy scratch for three games before injuries forced him back into action.
San Francisco’s second series opened like the first, with another injury. Left tackle Trent Williams limped off the field on a bubble screen to Brandon Aiyuk. Fittingly, Chase Young sacked Nick Mullens on the first snap without Williams, forcing the 49ers to punt for their second straight series. Williams returned a play later.
Washington, after a 22-yard punt return, went eight plays and into 49ers’ territory but missed a 53-yard field goal wide right.
The 49ers responded by getting a deep completion to Aiyuk, a few good runs to Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. setting up a first-and-goal, and then a 1-yard scoring run from Wilson, his sixth of the year to tie the team lead.
Second quarter
The 49ers defense forced two more punts from Washington, which had just 38 yards of offense and two first downs while being down in time of possession 12:18 to 6:46.
Washington hit a long field goal to get on the board, and later forced the 16th turnover from San Francisco over it’s last six plus games when Young stripped Wilson on an awkward running play, leading to Washington’s second field goal to make it 7-6.
The 49ers appeared to make a good play just inside the two-minute warning when Jason Verrett intercepted Alex Smith, giving them a chance at points before the break.
But two plays later, Mullens was stripped and the fumble was recovered by Young, who took it 47 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. It made the score 13-7.
Third quarter
Washington announced at halftime Smith was questionable to return with a calf injury, forcing Dwayne Haskins into the game at quarterback.
And on the second play of the half, star linebacker Fred Warner went down and grabbed his left shoulder. Warner has never missed a game in his pro career.
Washington had no problem driving against the 49ers defense with Warner on the sideline. J.D. McKissic had plays of 17, 13 and 17 yards before Washington settled for a 21-yard field goal to increase the lead to 16-7.
The 49ers mounted a drive into Washington territory, thanks to a pair of third-down conversions, but Mullens turned the ball over for a second time, throwing an easy pick-six to Kamren Curl, who took it 76 yards for a touchdown. That made it 23-7.
San Francisco responded with their first points since the first quarter with a 6-yard touchdown catch for fullback Kyle Juszczyk and a two-point conversion to Kendrick Bourne, cutting the lead to 23-15 and making it a one-score game.
Mullens on the drive completed 5 of 8 passes, including a 16-yard completion to Richie James for the team’s fourth third-down conversion of the game.
Defensive end Dion Jordan opened Washington’s next possession with his third sack of the season, leading to a three-and-out, as the teams traded punts.
Fourth quarter
The 49ers got the ball back with 5:20 left after Jimmie Ward had an interception nullified by instant replay, down by eight, at their 32-yard line. They went three and out, but they downed the punt at the 1-yard line.
Dre Greenlaw on third down made another key tackle just short of the line to gain, bringing back memories from Week 17 in Seattle last season, which forced another Washington punt. San Francisco got the ball back with 2:40 remaining following Aiyuk’s 10-yard punt return.
Bourne made a 22-yard catch and run on a third-and-2, but it was wiped out by a holding call on Mike McGlinchey, which set up a fourth-and-12 the team couldn’t convert as Bourne made a catch but was tackled short.
The 49ers fell to 5-8 and effectively fell out of the playoff race for good.
This story was originally published December 13, 2020 at 3:07 PM.
