The 49ers bring to Washington perhaps the NFL’s best defense. Washington brings with them a 34-year-old running back and a stud rookie wide receiver. Finding a lot of other endearing qualities about their offense is tough considering they’re 30th in points at 15 per game, and 28th in yards.
San Francisco should cruise behind their defense as long as they hit these three keys.
1. Fill the middle
Defensive tackle DJ Jones’ absence could wind up playing a big role against a Washington team that wants to run the football. Jones has played the fourth-most snaps among 49ers defensive linemen this season, so finding players to fill his time won’t be easy. He’s been a productive player, and not having him in means more time for Sheldon Day, Solomon Thomas, and possibly Jullian Taylor who’s only played 27 defensive snaps in two games. Getting production in the middle of the defensive line is going to be big as long as Jones is out.
2. How’s your base?
Interim head coach Bill Callahan took over Washington prior to their Week 6 game against Miami. They promptly had more rushing attempts than they’d had all season. That’ll probably continue to be their offensive game plan Sunday, which means we may see a lot of base from the 49ers’ defense. Rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw is the starting Sam LB, but he’s played just 35 percent of the defensive snaps this season. Greenlaw may get a lot of work if the 49ers deploy their base defense against a run-heavy Washington offense.
3. Don’t let Terry scare ye’
Terry McLaurin is Washington’s best offensive weapon. The third-round rookie out of Ohio State is the team’s leader in yards, yards-per-reception and touchdown catches. He also has more receiving yards than every other Washington wide receiver combined, and he’s tied for the team lead in targets with running back Chris Thompson, who’s been ruled out with a toe injury. If the 49ers shut down McLaurin, it’s hard to imagine where their offense comes from.
