Washington Football Team: Three takeaways from win vs. 49ers

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Dec 13, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith (11) throws as San Francisco 49ers defensive end Kerry Hyder (92) defends during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Alex Smith’s injury matters big-time

The one dark cloud hanging over this week’s game is the injury to Alex Smith. There were a few players on the Washington Football Team that left with injuries, but none were quite as impactful as Smith’s.

Smith was evidently dealing with a leg injury against the 49ers that he must’ve suffered at some point in the first half. He went to the locker room early before halftime and didn’t return to action.

According to ESPN’s John Keim, Ron Rivera said that Smith “had tightness in his calf” and “could never get it loose.” Given that the tightness was in his surgically repaired leg, Washington obviously made the right choice holding him out. Once there was a concern, Smith was rightfully sidelined.

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That said, Washington’s offense largely struggled without Smith. Smith didn’t move the ball particularly well during the game, but his replacement, Dwayne Haskins, did most of his damage (51 passing yards) on one drive to start the second half. On that drive, Haskins looked excellent compared to how he played earlier in the season. However, after that, the offense stalled out almost entirely.

If Haskins needs to start, it would be a big change for the Washington offense. It’s not necessarily from a production standpoint; Haskins is just a more volatile passer than Smith. That’s to be expected of a young passer compared to a 15-year veteran, but Haskins may turn the ball over more often and misfire on critical throws. We nearly saw him throw a critical interception against the 49ers late when Washington had an 8-point lead.

Washington’s defense has played well, but they are not a team that’s built to overcome turnovers or big mistakes. That’s why Smith has worked as a starter. He hasn’t been great in that role, but he gets the job done. It may be ugly, but his turnover-averse nature has definitely helped Washington.

We’ll see if Smith can return to the field in Week 15, but if he can’t, Haskins’ return to the lineup will impact Washington. It will be interesting to see if he can surprise if that’s the case, but either way, Haskins starting would be a big change for the team.

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