49ers blast Redskins 27-6 behind Kaepernick’s 3 TDs

The Redskins’ playoff hopes had probably been extinguished before Monday night’s 27-6 loss to Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers. But if there was any lingering doubt, Kaepernick’s three touchdown performance pretty much clinched it: the competitive portion of the Redskins’ season, in all likelihood, is over. With the loss—Washington’s third in a row and fourth in five games—the Redskins’ record dropped to 3-8. The 49ers, meantime, improved to 7-4 and kept pace with the Cardinals for the final playoff spot in the NFC.

The Redskins did not really give themselves much of a chance against the Super Bowl runners up. The 49ers opened a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, then midway through third quarter Kaepernick connected with Anquan Boldin to stake the visitors to 17-6 advantage the Redskins would not challenge. It was the second touchdown for Boldin.

Robert Griffin III and the Redskins’ struggling offense, meantime, never got into sync. Facing the NFL’s third ranked defense on a chilly night at FedEx Field, Griffin was sacked four times for a loss of 37 yards, while the Redskins’ offense mustered only 190 yards (only 30 in the second half). Alfred Morris amassed just 54 yards on 14 carries.

With the playoffs out of reach, the only question left to answer is what will become of the final five games of the Redskins’ 2013 season. Will they show some grit down the stretch and rally around their embattled quarterback and coaching staff? Or will bail and allow the season to spiral out of control?

- Tarik El-Bashir, CSN Washington