It has been said that the truly great teams win games even when they play poorly.
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Washington Redskins by a score of 9-0 on Sunday in FedEx Field, just outside of Washington, D.C.
In an old school football game, both teams had trouble on offense and neither team found the end zone all game long. The 49ers (6-0) managed three Robbie Gould field goals, while the Redskins’ (1-6) only attempt sailed wide right.
49ers quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, completed 12 of 21 passes for 151 yards and an interception, while running back, Tevin Coleman, led San Francisco on the ground with 20 carries for 62 yards. While those numbers are not terribly efficient, they can be somewhat excused because of the heavy rain that affected this game.
Any time a team pitches a shutout in the NFL, that is something to be very proud of, even if weather is a factor. The 49ers defense has proved to be one of the best in the league, as they have now held opposing quarterbacks to under 80 yards through the air in three consecutive games.
Defensive end, Nick Bosa, shined when the sun didn’t for San Francisco, as he added to his impressive rookie campaign with a game-ending sack of Redskins quarterback, Case Keenum.
Rain was coming down all game long, and it led to a muddy game and affected numerous coaching decisions.
If you didn’t know that it was raining so hard, you may have thought the Redskins were stuck in 1920 if you saw their box score. They ran the ball with Adrian Peterson on their first seven offensive plays of the game and were limited to 50 passing yards.
As a result of the rain, at various points in the game both teams elected to try to convert fourth downs in their opponents’ territory rather than kick field goals. Both teams’ kickers missed their first attempts of the afternoon.
Fans who came to see offensive fireworks may be wishing they had their money back, but fans of defense got what they were looking for. Amazingly, this game was tied 0-0 at halftime. In the era of the forward pass, this is certainly a rarity.
When it rains, it pours for the Redskins. Sunday was their alumni homecoming day, and in addition to not scoring any points, there were just as many fans cheering for the 49ers as there were for the home team. Not the best look.
On the bright side for Washington natives, the Nationals are making their first World Series appearance, so at least they have that.
San Francisco and the New England Patriots (from whom the 49ers acquired Garoppolo) remain the only undefeated teams in the NFL. The 49ers will look to keep their record perfect against the Carolina Panthers (4-2) on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
