Super Bowl LIV (54) is a week away with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers set to compete in Miami for the NFL’s highest honor.
Both teams have taken a different route to get to the big game and for the 49ers, the path should be a sense of encouragement for the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins are coming off a disappointing 3-13 campaign that produced the firing of coach Jay Gruden and the after season dismissals of team President Bruce Allen, Head Trainer Larry Hess, and several other top administrators and coaches.
Redskins owner Dan Snyder hired former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera to lead the team back to respectability.
When looking over the Redskins roster there are several players that have a chance to emulate the 49ers rapid turnaround under former Washington offensive coordinator (2010-13) and current San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan.
Back in 2018, the 49ers were 4-12 on the season. They had several pieces in places like unproven quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and a decent but not great offensive line. It was on defense, however, that the 49ers were set to explode. That theme seems to be the nucleus of what the Redskins can look at as far as a blueprint for immediate success.
Washington like the 49ers may have its’ best position group along their defensive front line. San Francisco is recognized as the best defensive line in the business, but the Redskins have the talent to ascend to one of the NFL’s top groups as well.
Which Super Bowl team do the #Redskins have a better chance to emulate next season from a personnel standpoint?
— Lake Lewis Jr (@LakeLewis) January 23, 2020
The next irony in the equation is that the Redskins have the current No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. It is widely expected that Washington will select Ohio State defensive star Chase Young who by addition could take the Redskin defensive line to heights similar to the 49ers.
This past season the 49ers selected Nick Bosa with their first-round pick (No. 2 overall selection) and the former Ohio State star who had a similar career in Columbus should be the leagues rookie of the year when the award is announced. Bosa helped make an already good unit become great. That is what Young could do for the Redskins if he lives up to his billing.
Garoppolo threw the ball only eight times in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers because the run game and defense were in total control.
Could that be another blueprint with soon to be second-year Redskins QB Dwyane Haskins?
Haskins will be asked to learn his second scheme in less than two years and it may take some time for him to get comfortable in new offensive coordinator Scott Turner’s system. A heavy dose of the run and really good defensive play (defense will be going to the 4-3) will surely help make Haskins transition that much easier.
San Francisco does have an elite tight end in George Kittle and that could be the difference in the team’s offenses especially with the uncertainty of Redskins Pro Bowler Jordan Reed’s availability for 2020 in question. Reed missed the full 2019 campaign with a concussion sustained in a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons.
That may be a position the Redskins will have to address via the draft or free agency regardless of Reed’s plans.
The 49ers also produce a sledgehammer type rushing attack on offense and that is exactly what the Redskins could have from a personnel standpoint next season in Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice. Not to mention the potential of Bryce Love and even Chris Thompson should he be resigned by the Redskins.
San Francisco has tough physical receivers who are able to make plays and now the Redskins have the same in Terry McLaurin, Steven Sims Jr, and Kelvin Harmon.
Washington played San Francisco in driving rain at FedexField this past season and saw up close how much they could learn from the 49ers’ success.
It will be interesting if the Redskins embrace the throwback style of the 49ers instead of the high flying act of the Patrick Mahomes’ led Chiefs.