Redskins offense disappears with the drainage in 9-0 loss to 49ers

Just like the drainage, the Redskins offense disappeared at FedEx Field today in a 9-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The now 6-0 San Francisco 49ers won by a score of 9-0 against the now 1-6 Washington Redskins. It was an ugly game from start to finish, but the 49ers managed to wipe the grime away just long enough to build a closing lead.

In the first half, neither team could ultimately withstand the elements presented to them, and neither was able to score before the intermission. But in the second half, it became a battle of opportunities, and the 49ers ultimately took better advantage of the opportunities presented to them.

The conditions limited what both teams could do, as the rain came down heavy for the entirety of the matchup, creating puddles on the field. But the 49ers were the only ones who were able, and willing, to fight through the lumps and get their passing game going. They attempted four field goals and made three, while the Redskins missed their lone attempt early on in the game.

The Redskins inability to commit to the passing game was inevitably their undoing in this game. Bill Callahan expressed a desire to run the football early and often in his opening press conference, and in this game, he aligned with that desire. The running game worked on the opening drive, but after that, it became predictable in the rough conditions. And when the team ultimately needed to pass, they weren’t willing, or able. Case Keenum never had it easy in the rain, but Callahan was observably hesitant to give him the keys, and Keenum simply didn’t move the needle.

The Redskins, now 1-6, mount a short week in Week 8, as they’ll head to Minnesota to take on former Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings. If Washington was ever going to re-enter the NFC East race as they intended, this was a close game they needed to win. Now that it’s lost, the season simply slips away a little bit more.