Skip to content
Pro Football Mania Pro Football Mania
Washington Commanders logoSan Francisco 49ers logo

Washington Commanders vs. San Francisco 49ers: PFM Team Comparison

PFM rates the San Francisco 49ers higher than the Washington Commanders overall, with a major advantage. The main reasons are the stronger defense and the stronger coaching operation.

Current PFM Team Scores

WSH

Washington Commanders

78.8PFM Team Score#18 NFL
Major edgeSF

San Francisco 49ers

89.2PFM Team Score#2 NFL
HEAD-TO-HEAD RESULTS

Washington Commanders vs. San Francisco 49ers: Previous Meetings

San Francisco 49ers lead the recorded series 1–0 over 1 meetings.

Washington Commanders0 wins
San Francisco 49ers1 wins
Recorded meetings1

Recent Meetings

DateMatchupFinalWinner
Oct 19, 2026Washington Commanders at San Francisco 49ers17–23San Francisco 49ers
  1. Oct 19, 20262026 season
    Washington CommandersAway17 – 23San Francisco 49ersHome
    San Francisco 49ers won

Results shown: 2026. Scores since 1999: nflverse (CC BY 4.0). Earlier meetings that have not been verified are excluded.

Swap Teams Clear Comparison
PFM JUDGMENT

Why PFM Rates the San Francisco 49ers Higher

The San Francisco 49ers own the stronger defense. More dependable stops give the offense better field position and keep one bad drive from controlling the day. Washington's strongest counterargument is Franchise Direction. The long-term football direction favors the Washington Commanders only because San Francisco carries the larger concern.

San Francisco also brings the stronger coaching operation. San Francisco adds the more dependable offense. That is enough to keep the San Francisco 49ers ahead.

TEAM DNA COMPARISON

Washington vs. San Francisco Across the Core Pillars

The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.

WSHWashington Commanders
SFSan Francisco 49ers
Washington Commanders vs. San Francisco 49ers Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Washington Commanders 84.3, San Francisco 49ers 86.0, edge SF +1.7; Offense: Washington Commanders 81.4, San Francisco 49ers 88.2, edge SF +6.8; Defense: Washington Commanders 77.3, San Francisco 49ers 84.8, edge SF +7.5; Coaching Direction: Washington Commanders 78.6, San Francisco 49ers 85.5, edge SF +6.9; Roster Depth: Washington Commanders 78.6, San Francisco 49ers 83.8, edge SF +5.2. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team at a time.
Hover or tap a team to focus that profile. Use Show Both to bring the overlay back.
THE COUNTERARGUMENT

Washington Commanders’ Best Argument

The Washington Commanders have the clearer long-term football direction, although the grade remains a concern. The franchise direction advantage is a real point in Washington's favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for Washington is that San Francisco counters with the stronger defense and the stronger coaching operation.

COMPLETE COMPARISON

Where Each Team Has the Edge

PFM Team Score

WSH78.8
Washington Commanders 78.8
SF89.2
San Francisco 49ers 89.2
Major San Francisco 49ers edge

Overall NFL Rank

WSH#18
Washington Commanders #18
SF#2
San Francisco 49ers #2
San Francisco 49ers ranks higher

QB Stability

WSH84.3
Washington Commanders 84.3
SF86.0
San Francisco 49ers 86.0
Slight San Francisco 49ers edge

Roster Strength

WSH78.6
Washington Commanders 78.6
SF83.8
San Francisco 49ers 83.8
Clear San Francisco 49ers edge

Coaching Direction

WSH78.6
Washington Commanders 78.6
SF85.5
San Francisco 49ers 85.5
Clear San Francisco 49ers edge

Recent Performance

WSH70.2
Washington Commanders 70.2
SF89.7
San Francisco 49ers 89.7
Major San Francisco 49ers edge

Offense

WSH81.4
Washington Commanders 81.4
SF88.2
San Francisco 49ers 88.2
Clear San Francisco 49ers edge

Defense

WSH77.3
Washington Commanders 77.3
SF84.8
San Francisco 49ers 84.8
Clear San Francisco 49ers edge

Franchise Direction

WSH77.6
Washington Commanders 77.6
SF75.5
San Francisco 49ers 75.5
Clear Washington Commanders edge

Explosiveness

WSH84.2
Washington Commanders 84.2
SF89.6
San Francisco 49ers 89.6
Clear San Francisco 49ers edge

Conference Rank

WSH#9
Washington Commanders #9
SF#1
San Francisco 49ers #1
San Francisco 49ers ranks higher

Division Rank

WSH#1
Washington Commanders #1
SF#1
San Francisco 49ers #1
Even rank

Outlook

WSHIn the Playoff MixSFSuper Bowl Favorite
Stronger outlook: San Francisco 49ers
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

Washington Commanders

Remaining schedule rank: #28

Toughest stretch: Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys

Strongest opponents: Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings

Next five difficulty: 76.2

View Washington Commanders Road Ahead

San Francisco 49ers

Remaining schedule rank: #16

Toughest stretch: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs

Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams

Next five difficulty: 80.5

View San Francisco 49ers Road Ahead

San Francisco has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 16. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams. Washington gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while San Francisco still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.

View the complete all-32 Road Ahead

Ratings and Schedule Freshness

PFM ratings updated November 3, 2026. Schedule data updated November 9, 2026.

How to Read This Comparison

PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.

PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.

See the complete PFM NFL Team Rankings and methodology.

PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams