8 Biggest Takeaways From 49ers' Week 6 Win Over Commanders

Well, that was close.

The San Francisco 49ers almost fumbled the game away, but pulled through with the 23-17 win over the Washington Commanders. Let's dive into the eight biggest takeaways from the 49ers' Week 6 win.

Malik Mustapha calls game

With the 49ers' defense on its heels and the game on the line with a little more than two minutes left, Malik Mustapha stepped up. It started with a crucial run-stop on third down.

He came in with ruthless aggression to halt running back Jeremy McNichols in his tracks. You would've thought it was Dre Greenlaw who delivered the massive hit.

The very next play, Mustapha broke up a touchdown pass to Treylon Burks, who hauled in the catch, but thanks to Mustapha's physicality, the ball popped out when Burks hit the ground.

He had two primetime opportunities in front of him and capitalized on them. Mustapha treated those pressured moments as if he had been waiting all game for them. What a playmaker.

Kyle Shanahan

The main reason the 49ers' defense was on its heels and needed Mustapha to put his superhero cape on was that Kyle Shanahan got too pass-happy.

It started with the final play of the third quarter. Shanahan dialed up a play-action pass, leading to Brock Purdy being sacked for nine yards.

They couldn't save that drive after the sack. Shanahan proceeded to call three straight pass plays on their next possession, causing them to go three-and-out.

Rather than running the ball to settle the game down and drain the clock, Shanahan turned into Sean McVay and acted like the 49ers still had Mike Evans out there. He almost cost his team the game.

Brock Purdy continues his surge

What a year Brock Purdy is having. He was sharp from start to finish in this game, despite cooling off in the second half when Evans left the game.

Purdy did what he had to in the second half and took care of the football. But his first-half performance was sensational. He looks so comfortable on every drop back.

He has also perfected his scrambling ability. He knows when to pick his spots to take off and run because every time he does, it leads to a sweet gain.

Purdy scrambled five times, tallying 28 yards. He looks like an incredibly balanced player who can deliver dimes and take off when he needs to. He's become a frustrating player to defend against.

The offensive line cannot be disrupted

Every week, the 49ers' offensive line continues to amaze me. They've already proved to their doubters that they aren't a terrible unit, as they were made out to be during the offseason.

But now they're proving that they cannot be disrupted. The groove that they're in is astonishing. Purdy has all day to throw and is barely pressured on his dropbacks.

The running lanes when they give it to Christian McCaffrey or rookie Kaelon Black are sizable, if not wide open. What a job they've been doing this season. They're elite.

Mike Evans Achilles injury

It wasn't wise of the 49ers to play Evans in this game after he missed practice all week with an Achilles injury. Sure enough, he hurt his Achilles with a minute left in the first half after making a catch.

The 49ers ruled him out for the remainder of the game coming out of halftime, which is the right call. But now you have to wonder how much this has set Evans back, or worse, if it's a season-ending injury.

It feels like he won't play in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, especially with the Bye Week to follow. The 49ers must do what they can to keep Evans preserved.

Eddy Pineiro has the yips

If it wasn't concerning before, it definitely is now. Kicker Eddy Pineiro is a problem for the 49ers. He missed another extra point, making it official that he has the yips.

Pineiro was the reason the final two defensive series were so intense. A touchdown allowed wouldn't have tied the game. The Commanders would've most likely taken the lead with an extra point made.

Pineiro is a liability. Thankfully, the 49ers don't show any signs of slowing down or losing a game soon, but if they get into a tight game, Pineiro will likely be the reason they lose their first game of the season.

Pass rush is becoming a force

For the second consecutive game, the 49ers' pass rush was lethal. They got to Jayden Daniels four times and made him uncomfortable for the majority of the game.

This pass rush is becoming a force. It's a phenomenal development, as their defense was already solid without it. Plus, they're getting players to step up.

Now that it's continued to show life, it makes Nick Bosa's looming return a scary sight. If they were already heating up without Bosa, just imagine how it'll be with him.

Sebastian Valdez's stock is rising

What a year that defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez is having. Last week, he made his presence felt against the Seattle Seahawks by being disruptive and tallying a sack.

He did it again tonight against the Commanders. It felt like he popped off the screen on almost every defensive series. Whether it was against the run or the pass, he was making an impact.

Valdez has taken a nice leap this year, and boy, did the 49ers need that with their injury stockpile on the defensive line. Valdez has his stock rising, if not soaring, as a key role player.

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