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3 things SF 49ers must do to beat Washington in Week 14

By Nathan Bannerman

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 20: Jeff Wilson Jr. #30 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes during the game against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on October 20, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. The 49ers defeated the Redskins 9-0. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 20: Jeff Wilson Jr. #30 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes during the game against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on October 20, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. The 49ers defeated the Redskins 9-0. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /
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SF 49ers
Jeff Wilson Jr. #30 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

The SF 49ers are in the “must-win” part of their schedule. Here are three things they must do to beat the Washington Football team on Sunday afternoon.

The SF 49ers and Washington Football Team are clashing for the second time in two years. This year’s matchup has both teams headed into different directions.

Washington is tied for the division lead in the NFC East and is fresh off a huge upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The SF 49ers are sliding down the NFC standings and could be facing yet another long offseason.

There will be no shortage of storylines between these two teams. First, you have the 49ers missing most of their starters from last seasons “mud bowl.” They defeated Washington 9-0 thanks to kicker Robbie Gould. Then, you have Washington quarterback Alex Smith making his second start against his old team. A rather pleasant milestone in the life of the former 2005 first overall pick.

And finally, there’s the whole playoff situation.

The Smith-led Football Team is quietly becoming a dark horse in the NFC. We can point out the weak division it’s in and make excuses for why Washington is tied for first with a 5-7 record. But here’s the bottom line: Washington is 3-1 since Smith took over against the Detroit Lions. The Football Team also has the second overall pick from the 2020 draft and he’s playing up to expectations.

On paper, you can make the argument, even with backups the SF 49ers should win this game. In fact, when the schedule was released in the spring, many figured this was an easy win.

But this is why you play the game. Any given week, an upset can occur. If the SF 49ers want to avoid being on the wrong side of an upset, they’ll need to start with pressuring Smith early and often.