San Francisco 49ers (0-5 SU, 3-2 ATS) vs. Washington Redskins (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS)
Week 6 NFL
Date/Time: Sunday, October 15, 2017 at 1PM EST
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
TV: Fox
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Point Spread: SF +10/WAS -10
Over/Under Total: 46.5
The San Francisco 49ers make the cross-country trip to FedEx Field to take on the Washington Redskins on Sunday in week six NFC action. The Redskins sit at 2-2. In their last game, they fell 29-20 to the Chiefs on the road and are now coming off the bye-week. They look to use that time to rest some banged-up players. The 49ers, meanwhile are still searching for their first win, after falling to the Colts in OT on Sunday, 26-23. It was their second overtime loss in two weeks. While expectations are low this season for the Niners, they might be dragging a little bit this week with the long road-trip against what figures to be an energetic Redskins' bunch.
The Redskins are pretty good. They can play with a wide range of form, but when close to their best, they are indeed very dangerous. Their offense can really pile on the points and there is enough talent on the defense to be a difference-maker in any game. In their last game at home, they handily beat the Raiders, 27-10, with both sides of the ball having a big game. Against the Chiefs in their last game, they were out of their element at Arrowhead and they still gave it a good go, with only a last second FG breaking a late tie, before the last Redskins attempt led to another Chiefs score, with the final 29-20 score not painting an accurate portrayal of the game.
The Redskins' offense is in a bit of transition. The run-game is still looking for a go-to guy, with Robert Kelley having been banged-up and Samaje Perine and Chris Thompson chipping in. Kirk Cousins, however, is pretty adept at getting the ball into the hands of his playmakers aerially. Terrelle Pryor has been coming along in his first season with the team, as he seems to be developing increasing chemistry with Cousins. But guys like Jamison Crowder, TE Jordan Reed, and others have been a bit subdued. They have a lot of good receivers, with injuries and a lack of development curtailing their production. They are getting good play from tight end Vernon Davis, but Ryan Grant and Josh Doctson are still not getting a big share of the production.
Injuries have hurt the Washington secondary and it looks like Josh Norman will be out until November. With DeAngelo Hall also out of action, the Redskins secondary has a new look to it, despite still getting good safety play from DJ Swearinger and good corner play (at times) from Bashaud Breeland. The middle is good at applying the pass-rush, with Preston Brown and Ryan Kerrigan combining for 6.5 sacks. They've gotten 7 turnovers in 4 games. This is not a defense that needs to be great—they just need to be clutch late in games and register big plays from time to time.
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In Kyle Shanahan's first season at the helm in Frisco, he is finding the going to be a little rough. To lose two overtime games in a row and having to cross the country to face a team coming off a bye-week and at home doesn't paint a great picture. This is where some of their character can reveal itself. And to their credit, they've covered three of five spreads, showing they are in some of these games. As bad as they are, they came pretty close to just scoring two straight road wins. This third road game in a row could be asking too much.
The 49ers offense just doesn't have the horses right now to immediately see through Shanahan's vision. Still, it's not as impotent as the last few seasons. Brian Hoyer threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, as he led a passionate comeback late to send the game to overtime. With half a quarter left, it looked like Indy was on their way to a routine win. Hoyer then hit FB Kyle Juszczyk and emerging rookie tight end George Kittle for TD passes. Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon have developed good chemistry with Hoyer and they have a lot more offensive spark than in the last few seasons. It just wasn't quite enough on Sunday. Late in overtime, Indy's erstwhile Adam Vinatieri hit a 51-yarder to lock up the win. It was the second loss in a row that can really leave a team crestfallen and we'll see how they fare in their third straight road game this week.
The San Francisco defense was really good during their run several seasons ago when they were contenders. But over the past few seasons, they had arguably become the worst defense in the entire league. While they are far from reclaiming their old form, they are getting better slowly. Injuries have hit this side of the ball at an inordinate rate. The secondary is still not up-to-snuff and that stands as a major matchup concern this week. On Sunday, they gave up 314 yards aerially to Jacoby Brissett. Still Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner offer some upside up-front and veteran Elvis Dumervil was active rushing the passer on Sunday. And the middle has some spark with NaVorro Bowman and Ray Ray Armstrong, who had a pick on Sunday. They're coming along and there are going to be some bumps on the road, but they've emerged from being a defense that is just downright terrible.
In the 49ers' last four losses, the margin was 3 or less points. That shows an inability to win the close games perhaps, but it also shows they're not easy pickings at the betting windows. Without trying to harp on this being their third straight road game, the location of this game and the Niners coming off consecutive overtime games, while the Redskins are coming off a bye is just too much to overlook this week. We're taking the Redskins.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Washington Redskins minus 10 points. Tired of your credit card not working for sportsbook deposit? End that problem today and bet the Niners vs. Redskins game by signing up at Bovada Sportsbook where your credit card WILL work and where you'll receive a generous 50% sign-up bonus!
