Washington Football Team’s defense bashing 49ers as offense struggles

The Washington Football Team’s defense has kept this game close, but there needs to be more conversion of opportunity in the second half if they’re going to win.

At the half, the Washington Football Team leads the 49ers 13-7. They’ve managed to earn the lead, courtesy of a stingy defense, but the offense has struggled to gain consistent momentum. Things might need to change if Washington wants to get to 6-7 and take control of the NFC East.

The New York Giants provided the Washington Football Team with a window of opportunity after losing to the Cardinals earlier today, and Washington’s defense is doing everything it can to cash in on that chance, even if the offense is tugging the other way.

There have been bright moments for Washington, most notably on the defensive side of the ball. First-round rookie Chase Young is having one of his best games of the season. Already, he has a sack, a forced fumble, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He also has several drive-hindering tackles near the backfield. He’s been flying around the field, making life hard for Nick Mullens and Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Washington’s other defensive players have also been stepping up when needed. The coverage from Kendall Fuller and Kamren Curl has been solid, and the linebackers have also served as key catalysts on drive-defining plays, highlighted by a sack mounted by Kevin Pierre-Louis. Aside from one smooth touchdown drive, San Francisco has had a lot of trouble today.

While the defense has thrived, however, Washington’s offense has largely been stagnant. Three of their points came after a turnover that gave them favorable field position, and Alex Smith has had trouble throwing with consistent accuracy. He’s just 8 for 19 for 57 yards and an interception, and he’s providing little to no value to an offense that needs him to create more.

The poor condition of the field seems to be impacting players today, but the Washington Football Team needs to find a way to get past that, because they won’t win if their offense doesn’t improve. To this point, the defense has neutralized the inefficiency of the offense, but that may not be a sustainable method for success in the second half.