SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Francisco 49ers remain the NFL’s team to beat, extending their perfect start to the season to 6-0 with a 23-17 victory over the Washington Commanders on Monday night. While the 49ers dominated the first half, a late defensive stand proved necessary to stave off a spirited Washington comeback.
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy continued his historic trajectory, going 21 of 29 for 264 yards and a touchdown. With that performance, Purdy officially eclipsed the 1,500-attempt threshold, surpassing Lamar Jackson to become the highest-rated passer in NFL history with a 105.6 rating.
“You’re not always happy exactly with how some of the stuff was frustrating, but real proud of the guys for just the competitive stamina to keep it going all game,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
The 49ers looked unstoppable early, racing out to a 20-3 lead by halftime. Purdy opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle, followed by two rushing scores from Christian McCaffrey. At the break, the 49ers held a staggering 303-90 yardage advantage, seemingly coasting toward an easy win.
However, the tide turned in the second half. Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels ignited a rally, tossing two second-half touchdown passes to trim the deficit to six points. The Commanders reached the red zone with under two minutes remaining, but 49ers defensive back Malik Mustapha effectively iced the game by breaking up a critical fourth-down pass intended for Treylon Burks.
“I’m just reading the stem of the receiver, and then he broke out, and I was just trying to race to the pylon,” Mustapha said of the decisive play.
Washington had one final opportunity following an intentional grounding penalty on Daniels, but a ferocious pass rush from Keion White and Ogbo Okoronkwo ended the Commanders’ hopes with a sack on the final play.
For Washington head coach Dan Quinn, the loss was a painful reminder of his team’s inconsistency. “We dug ourselves in a hole, and it bit us at the end of it,” Daniels noted. “We have to be a four-quarter team.”
The victory came at a physical cost for both sides. Washington suffered a significant blow when star wide receiver Terry McLaurin was carted off in the first quarter with a serious left knee injury. The 49ers saw receiver Mike Evans depart with Achilles tendinitis, though head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed optimism that the injury is not long-term.
The 49ers’ 6-0 start is their best since 2019, a season that culminated in a Super Bowl appearance. San Francisco will look to keep their unbeaten streak alive next Sunday when they visit Atlanta, while the Commanders head into a bye week before hosting Philadelphia on Nov. 1.
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