49ers Beat Commanders 23-17 to Stay Unbeaten on Monday Night

San Francisco almost let a comfortable night slip away. The 49ers beat the Washington Commanders 23 to 17 in Monday Night Football at Levi's Stadium, holding on after leading 23 to 3 late in the third quarter. The win moves San Francisco to 6-0. Washington falls to 1-4-1.

The first half was not close. Washington ran 17 plays for 90 yards and two first downs. San Francisco ran 41 plays for 303 yards and 17 first downs, and led 20 to 3 at halftime. Brock Purdy finished 21 of 29 for 264 yards and one touchdown. Christian McCaffrey ran 16 times for 64 yards and two touchdowns, and caught nine passes for 53 yards.

Kittle and McCaffrey set the tone early

Purdy found George Kittle for the opening touchdown on a nine play, 64 yard first drive. Washington answered with a 51 yard field goal, but McCaffrey scored from a yard out in the first quarter and again just before halftime, the second score ending a 14 play, 69 yard drive. Kittle finished with five catches for 69 yards and that touchdown.

San Francisco lost Mike Evans before halftime. Evans caught three passes for 94 yards in the first half, then left after aggravating Achilles soreness and missed the second half. Washington lost Terry McLaurin to a knee injury in the first quarter. Both losses were reported earlier in the night, and neither receiver returned.

Eddy Pineiro kicked a 33 yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 23 to 3 with 18 seconds left in the period. At that point the game looked finished.

Washington rallied, then ran out of plays

It was not finished. Jayden Daniels threw two touchdown passes in the second half, first to Stefon Diggs late in the third quarter and then to Rachaad White in the fourth, cutting the lead to 23 to 17 with about nine minutes left. Daniels finished 29 of 40 for 300 yards and two touchdowns, and Washington outgained San Francisco 224 to 72 in the second half.

Washington still had two chances to win it. On the first, Daniels found Treylon Burks at the San Francisco 17 on fourth down with 1 minute 54 seconds left, but Malik Mustapha forced the ball out as Burks hit the ground in the end zone. San Francisco went three and out again, its third straight three and out, and a fair catch interference call on Siran Neal gave Washington the ball at its own 46 for one last drive.

The Commanders reached the San Francisco 28. Daniels was then called for grounding, and on the final snap Ogbo Okoronkwo and Romello Height combined to sack him. It was the fourth sack of the night for San Francisco, and it ended the game.

Unbeaten, and on to Atlanta

San Francisco is 6-0 in this run under coach Kyle Shanahan, with wins over the Rams, Dolphins, Cardinals, Broncos and Seahawks before Monday night. The 49ers play at the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, October 25. Washington heads home at 1-4-1, with a tie against the Giants and now a close loss at Levi's Stadium in back to back weeks.