The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Washington Commanders 37-20 last Saturday, extending their winning streak to eight games.
With the win, the 49ers remain just one game out of the second seed in the NFC and two games out of the first-round bye with two weeks left in the season.
Quarterback Brock Purdy accomplished several feats as a rookie starting quarterback on Saturday with his third consecutive win, which he'll look to improve on against the Las Vegas Raiders on New Years Eve.
Here are the offensive grades for the 49ers vs the Commanders.
Quarterback: B
Brock Purdy struggled a little with sustaining momentum to begin the game, but fielded a strong second-half performance to secure the 49ers' 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders.
But, Purdy impressed with a variety of throws, continuing to display good eye manipulation to complete passes in clearer windows.
The rookie quarterback's lone interception came off a dropped Jauan Jennings pass that was deflected into the arms of a defender.
Once again, receivers were open with good playcalling from head coach Kyle Shanahan, and Purdy executed those plays well, which allowed for yards after the catch.
While it wasn't his strongest performance, Purdy did enough with his athleticism and play to keep the 49ers well ahead for the second half of the game, earning him a B grade.
Running Backs: C+
San Francisco struggled to run the football for the majority of the game, with Christian McCaffrey rushing for just 46 yards on 15 attempts, while Tyrion Davis-Price gained 30 yards on nine carries.
However, the running game was more indicative of the Commanders defense line controlling the line of scrimmage against the 49ers offensive line.
Still, there were some carries from both angles where hesitancy and a lack of vision costed them a couple of yards.
But, for the most part, the 49ers looked to get short gains to set up shorter distances on later downs, which helped them convert at a higher rate and sustain drives.
Davis-Price's acceleration was on display during a few of his carries, while McCaffrey showcased his elusiveness that allows him to consistently reach the second level of defenses.
While it was an uninspiring performance in the running game for the 49ers, it wasn't necessarily a bad day for the halfbacks, hence the C+ grade.
Wide Receivers: B-
Brandon Aiyuk re-emerged with a five-catch, 81-yard game, serving as San Francisco's second-leading receiver behind tight end George Kittle.
Aiyuk dominated against the Washington cornerbacks, consistently winning on routes, while displaying great effort with his run-blocking.
Ray-Ray McCloud was utilized in the Deebo Samuel role to an extent with the jet-sweeps and screens, and took a outside carry 71 yards to the house, displaying his elite acceleration with help from key blockers.
McCloud nearly had a deep touchdown from Purdy, but the pass was stolen from George Kittle, who altered his route towards the endzone.
But, in the receiving game, it was mainly a two-man show with Aiyuk and Kittle, as Jauan Jennings caught just two passes for 12 yards, while dropping a ball from Brock Purdy that ended up being intercepted.
In good news, wideout Deebo Samuel could return to practice this week against the Las Vegas Raiders, although it doesn't appear likely that he'll suit up.
San Francisco will need him to avoid a one-dimensional passing attack of Brandon Aiyuk on the outside, even with the ability of Kyle Shanahan to scheme open receivers.
Tight Ends: A
For the second straight game, it was a George Kittle day, who caught six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns as Brock Purdy's leading receiver.
Kittle caught two 30+ yard touchdown passes from Brock Purdy and seems to be the one most benefitting from the injury to Deebo Samuel with an uptick in targets and yards recently.
With his production as a receiver and a blocker, Kittle still holds significant value to the 49ers offense.
Offensive Line: C+
The offensive line faced off against a tough Washington Commanders defensive line and their performance was as you'd expect: some ups-and-downs, but enough to keep the 49ers competitive throughout.
Similar to previous games against tough defensive lines, the 49ers offensive line struggled to move the line of scrimmage in the running game, which resulted in a subpar performance on the ground.
However, the 49ers had well-executed plays, such as Ray-Ray McCloud's 71-yard run and a couple Christian McCaffrey gains.
In pass protection, despite Brock Purdy having three sacks, the offensive line held up fairly well, with right tackle Mike McGlinchey producing a strong effort against the likes of Jonathan Allen.
The offensive line will be tested against strong defensive lines in the playoffs. Whether they can hold up or not could determine the outcome of those games.
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
