After two straight subpar performances by his unit, 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman this past week assured everyone things would get better.
Though the 49ers had been able to muster just 151 total yards in a loss to the Panthers and only 196 in losing to the Saints the past two weeks, Roman said he could feel that good things were about to happen.
“We’re certainly not a finished product,” Roman told reporters this past Friday. “I think those opportunities are out there and the roof is going to blow off. It’s going to pop. It’s coming.”
On Monday night, the 49ers didn’t exactly explode offensively – but they certainly showed a lot more pop than they had in recent weeks, beating the host Washington Redskins, 27-6, to improve to 7-4. The victory keeps them tied with Arizona for second place in the NFC West and in the playoff picture.
The 49ers gained 304 yards in total offense and Colin Kaepernick – who’d been just mediocre the past two games while throwing for a total of just 218 yards – completed 15-of-24 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns.
In last week’s loss to the Saints, Kaepernick’s longest completed pass was for 17 yards. Against the Redskins, he topped that early, completing 24- and 19-yard passes to wide receiver Anquan Boldin in the first quarter, with the second catch producing a touchdown to put the 49ers up 7-0.
A 29-yard field goal by Phil Dawson gave the Niners a 10-0 lead in the second quarter. After the Redskins answered with a pair of second-quarter field goals, the Niners came back in the second half with a 6-yard TD pass to Boldin, a 1-yard TD pass to Vernon Davis and Dawson’s 49-yard field goal for the final margin of victory.
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It was the Niners’ fifth straight victory on “Monday Night Football.”
In addition to a revived offense, the San Francisco defense was strong. Linebacker Aldon Smith recorded his first two sacks since Week 3 of this season, Ahmad Brooks added two more sacks, Donte Whitner had an interception of Robert Griffin III and the Redskins were held to just 190 yards in total offense.
The Niners will now try to keep things going this coming Sunday, when they play host to the St. Louis Rams.
