Boy, the San Francisco 49ers know how to make things interesting. A game that felt pretty much over at halftime turned into a thriller as the 49ers held off Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ comeback attempt. In a game where Terry McLaurin was seriously injured, the Commanders’ passing attack came alive in the second half. The 49ers lost Mike Evans before the half, but according to Kyle Shanahan, his Achilles is intact, and the injury is the same one he dealt with during the week.
The 49ers are 6-0
with a chance to go 7-0 next week before their bye, which will be the turning point for the health of the roster as the team expects to have Nick Bosa, Demarcus Robinson, Christian Kirk, and other important players coming out of the bye. The team could get reinforcements back for Atlanta, but coming off the bye, it will be as close to healthy as possible.
Here’s what we learned from Monday night’s win over the Commanders.
The 49ers crowded safety room
Before his injury, Marques Sigle was a revelation. Malik Mustapha was returning from injury, but during his time replacing Sigle, he has been fantastic and made the two biggest plays of the night in succession. A complete run stuff on third down from the safety position for no gain, followed by a hard-fought PBU on a target to the taller Treylon Burks, ended the Commanders’ drive.
Washington would get the ball back one more time before the defensive line shut the door on the comeback attempt, but the question is: when Sigle returns, can you justify sending Mustapha to the bench? The thing is, Ji’Ayir Brown hasn’t played poorly in 2026. Mustapha has been a tone-setter with his physicality and is flashing every week.
It’s a good problem to have, and perhaps it allows some more flexibility for Raheem Morris with all three safeties, but Mustapha has played like a man possessed.
Mike Evans is the engine of the 49ers offense
Brock Purdy has played his best football ever in 2026. It’s no coincidence that it comes in a season when Mike Evans was added to the fold. The first half was a laser show, with Evans nearly topping 100 yards before the half. The problem is that when Evans departed, the 49ers leaned on Christian McCaffrey, but the Commanders knew the 49ers were out of separators and blitzed constantly in the second half, knowing they wouldn’t be beat downfield.
Herein lies the problem. The 49ers need to target another receiver by the trade deadline, one who can separate independently from Kyle Shanahan and his scheme. If that means knocking down Robinson in the pecking order when he returns, then so be it. The 49ers shouldn’t shy away from adding impact players because they have players returning. If adding a separator pushes Jordan Watkins or Jacob Cowing off the roster, you have to do it.
The second half was a glimpse of the 49ers being down to their seventh and eighth receivers. Add more firepower. Do not get complacent and bank on returning players.
Hello, Romello Height
What a game for Height. Six total pressures, two sacks (one wiped away by a penalty), two QB hits, and two hurries. The rookie was a star on Monday night. The entire defensive line deserves credit, but Height’s breakout game in tandem with a returning Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams’ continued progress is such a plus for this 49ers defense. The 49ers are closer than ever to a championship defense.
A deeper look into Height’s game on Monday night is even more impressive. In true pass sets (no play action or screens), Height generated five pressures, recorded a sack with two QB hits and two hurries. On 19 true pass sets, Height finished with a 26.7% win rate. Impressive game. The 49ers’ defensive line is getting better each game.
