Niner Noise
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3 key lessons from SF 49ers loss to Washington in Week 14

By Akshaj Dwivedula

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers against free safety Deshazor Everett #22 and inside linebacker Jon Bostic #53 of the Washington Football Team (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers against free safety Deshazor Everett #22 and inside linebacker Jon Bostic #53 of the Washington Football Team (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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SF 49ers, Washington Football Team
The Washington Football Team against the San Francisco 49ers Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

The SF 49ers dropped an ugly game against the Washington Football Team in Week 14, but there were a few key lessons to be found in the disappointment.

Perhaps the most telling statement of the SF 49ers season is that a week ago, they were tied for eighth in the NFC playoff race, with a head-to-head matchup against the seventh seed to boot, and now they’re a half-game out of the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Week 14 against the Washington Football Team was a must-win for a playoff push, given the ramifications of losing a conference game for tiebreakers, not to mention having already lost any margin of error following a smackdown against the Buffalo Bills the week prior. Dropping this game would not only put the Niners squarely behind in the race for the seventh seed, it would also place them behind the WFT and a lost head-to-head matchup.

So it was a big game to cling onto fringe playoff hopes.

The SF 49ers defense came to play without question, holding Washington to a paltry 3.1 yards per play. Read that again: 3.1 yards per play. That means, on average, the SF 49ers would have forced a 3-and-out on every drive.

Box–score reading would result in major consternation about how the defense somehow gave up 23 points to a Washington offense that had played relatively well in recent weeks with quarterback Alex Smith under center but was not close to the level of offenses that defensive coordinator Robert Saleh had shut down. But the SF 49ers defense forced one turnover, didn’t allow a touchdown, held Washington to 3.1 YARDS PER PLAY, and allowed only nine points on three field goals.

That’s a winning effort from the defense.

That’s why this loss was such a disappointment because the Washington defense scored more points than its offense and was one point shy of the SF 49ers’ offensive total. Three turnovers by the offense — a pick-6, a scoop and score, and another fumble on the wrong side of the field — ended this game.

But even in difficult performances, lessons can be learned. Sometimes, they won’t be what the team needs to hear.

Let’s take a look at three key lessons the SF 49ers should have learned from this game.