15 quick observations from the 49ers' Christmas Eve win over Washington

The San Francisco 49ers gave their fans an early gift on Christmas Eve, an eighth straight win, beating the Washington Commanders 37-20.

This team is so good. Most of the wins during the win streak have been over playoff-worthy teams. And though some of the final scores may say otherwise, most of the games haven't even been that close.


And it's happened with a third-string quarterback.

Here are my quick observations from the 49ers' 11th win of the season.

• Brock Purdy doesn't play like a rookie. He's so poised.

• People talk about Purdy's lack of arm strength, but I'm not too concerned as long as he continues to throw accurately, on time, and to the right read.
• I believed this would be Purdy's biggest test so far. He wasn't perfect, but he played well and passed yet another test.
• Brandon Aiyuk is fun to watch. So smooth.
• Nick Bosa is the 49ers' MVP. You could make the case that he should be considered for league MVP. He's also two and a half sacks away from being the 49ers' single-season sack king. If Bosa doesn't win the defensive player of the year award, we riot!

• Ray-Ray McCloud is more than just a kick returner. He's a weapon.

• Mike McGlinchey. Drive-killer.
• George Kittle has been on another level lately. He seems to have gelled with Purdy.
• Interceptions that go off of the hands of a receiver shouldn't be placed on the quarterback. I wonder if Jauan Jennings would agree.
• You can't run on the 49ers' defense. They even make good-running teams look bad running the ball.
• That said, the secondary still makes me nervous. Injuries have made this unit a little too thin for my liking. Those young corners get beat sometimes. And Talanoa Hufanga, the Pro Bowl safety, seems to blow coverage at least once every game.
• It doesn't matter which position Jimmie Ward plays, he will still make his presence known.
• The offensive line has played well this season.
• Kyle Shanahan's offense put up 30 second-half points on one of the league's best defenses. That's really impressive. Those who were calling for Shanahan to be fired several weeks ago need to run to church and repent.
• When the 49ers were 3-4, I was confident they would turn it around. But I didn't expect 8-straight wins and for them to be 11-4. I certainly would not have expected it had I known Jimmy Garoppolo would go down. And yet, they keep winning.

Next up is a New Year's Day battle with the Raiders in Las Vegas. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Go Niners.

More San Francisco 49ers News

• 49ers QB Brock Purdy becoming an intriguing fantasy football option

  There is still plenty of debate over where San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy ranks among the NFL's elite signal-callers. His omission from ESPN's recent top-10 quarterback rankings only intensified those discussions. While Purdy isn't expected to be one of the first...
  Read Article

• 49ers executive Paraag Marathe reportedly among finalists for MLS Commissioner

  Major League Soccer is searching for a successor to Commissioner Don Garber, and one of the reported finalists could be a familiar—and potentially concerning—name for San Francisco 49ers fans. According to John Ourand of Puck, the search has been narrowed to three...
  Read Article

• 49ers' most glaring roster weakness: Why safety is a 2026 concern

  49ers Webzone writer Bob Heyrman recently ranked the San Francisco 49ers' position groups heading into training camp, placing safety at the bottom of the list and identifying it as the team's biggest concern. "Perhaps they surprise us, and I will gladly revisit that assessment...
  Read Article

• 49ers' Trent Williams embraces final NFL chapter, savoring every training camp moment

  San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams made it clear that his current contract, which runs through the 2027 season, will likely be the final deal of his illustrious NFL career. Speaking to reporters after the 49ers' first training camp practice on Sunday, Williams was...
  Read Article