NFL Week 6 closed with a Monday night thriller that kept the San Francisco 49ers unbeaten but exposed their flaws, as the 49ers held off a furious Washington Commanders rally for a 23-17 win at Levi’s Stadium and settled in for a sobering round of grades.
San Francisco dominated the first half and then nearly gave the game away in the second, needing a late defensive stand to seal its sixth straight victory to open the season. The result kept the 49ers perfect at 6-0, but the performance told two very different stories before and after star receiver Mike Evans left the game with an aggravated Achilles injury, an absence that transformed the offense.
Brock Purdy was superb while Evans was on the field, completing 17 of 22 passes with a 122.2 passer rating in the first half. After Evans went down, Purdy completed just 4 of 7 passes, took two sacks and closed the game with three consecutive three-and-outs. Without their top receiver, the 49ers leaned on tight end George Kittle, who caught 5 of 8 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown, and on Christian McCaffrey, who scored twice but also lost a fumble.
How NFL Week 6 grades punished the 49ers’ second half
The harshest marks fell on special teams and coaching. NBC Sports Bay Area handed the 49ers a D-minus on special teams after kicker Eddy Pineiro missed an extra point in the first half and the unit committed two crucial errors in the final minute, a delay-of-game penalty in punt formation followed by a 15-yard fair-catch interference flag on Siran Neal. Punt returner Jacob Cowing also made a poor decision to field a punt at the 4-yard line while running backward.
Coaching earned a C-plus. Kyle Shanahan’s offense came out with plans that set the tone early, but the attack stalled completely after Evans exited, and the defense committed four penalties that prolonged Washington drives. The overall grade was a C, reflecting a team that was dominant for a half and then had to hold on for dear life.
The defense’s grade was salvaged by safety Malik Mustapha, who delivered the game’s defining sequence with just over two minutes left. He stopped running back Jeremy McNichols on third down and then broke up a touchdown pass to Treylon Burks, jarring the ball loose when Burks hit the ground. Two primetime chances, two plays made.
Where NFL Week 6 grades left the Commanders
Washington’s report card told the story of a team that heated up too late. Jayden Daniels completed 29 of 40 passes for 300 yards and nearly brought the Commanders back from the brink in the second half, earning the passing offense a B. Stefon Diggs and Treylon Burks gave Daniels weapons down the field even as the pass protection remained suspect.
The running game drew a D, with run designs and commitment both lacking, while the rushing defense managed only a C after allowing 4.3 yards per carry despite forcing a McCaffrey fumble. The passing defense earned a C for a tale of two halves, torched by Purdy early before tightening up once Evans left and the blitz packages arrived.
The loss came with a painful cost. Terry McLaurin was ruled out with a knee injury, a blow that will linger for a Washington offense already asking Daniels to carry a heavy load. The Commanders fell short despite outplaying San Francisco for much of the second half, a moral victory that counts for nothing in the standings.
Why NFL Week 6 grades matter beyond Monday night
The 49ers’ uneven performance raises the central question of their season. Purdy looked like an MVP candidate with Evans available and ordinary without him, and if the Achilles injury lingers, San Francisco’s unbeaten record may be living on borrowed time. The remaining receivers, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Watkins and Cowing, could not separate once Washington’s defense focused on Kittle and McCaffrey.
Around the league, CBS Sports’ full slate of Week 6 grades included an F for the Indianapolis Colts, a reminder that Monday night’s drama was only part of a weekend defined by lopsided results and harsh evaluations. Grading every team that played, CBS separated the contenders from the pretenders with little mercy for the teams at the bottom.
For San Francisco, the takeaway is mixed but ultimately positive. A 6-0 start is a 6-0 start, and championship teams survive ugly wins. But the film from the second half will give every future opponent a blueprint, and the 49ers’ next exam comes with their best receiver’s status uncertain and the league now fully aware of how to slow them down.