With Alex Smith injured and Dwayne Haskins struggling, the Washington Football Team didn’t have much to offer offensively on Sunday.

It didn’t need it.

Led by rookie pass rusher Chase Young, the Washington defense dominated the San Francisco 49ers to log a 23-15 win without scoring a touchdown on offense. Young showed off the skills that made him the No. 2 pick in the draft, logging six tackles, a sack, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery and 47-yard return for Washington’s first touchdown.

He led a team effort that hit and harassed 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens all day. Washington logged four sacks and 12 QB hits while forcing three turnovers. Its only touchdown besides Young’s arrived courtesy of a 76-yard Kamren Curl pick six of Mullens in the second half.

Mullens was left lying on the turf after throwing the interception under duress.

Washington takes control of NFC East

With the win, Washington improved to 6-7 to take sole possession of the NFC East lead after the now 5-8 New York Giants lost to Arizona Cardinals earlier in the day.

Washington needed everything it got from its defense as it struggled to move the ball with either Smith or Haskins at quarterback. Smith injured his calf and didn’t return after halftime. He threw for 59 yards and an interception in the first half.

The injury was to the same leg that required suffered a gruesome compound fracture in 2018 and required 17 procedures to repair and subdue a threatening infection. Head coach Ron Rivera said after the game that Sunday’s injury was simply a strain.

Haskins didn’t fare much better in his stead, totaling 51 passing yards on a 7-of-12 passing effort in the second half. The run game struggled too, tallying 98 yards on 3.5 yards per carry without an injured Antonio Gibson (turf toe).

Washington mustered just 193 yards of total offense that resulted in three field goals.

Investment in defense paying dividends

Washington’s front seven is proving to be one of the league’s most dangerous afters years of spending draft equity to bolster the unit. Second-year pass rusher Montez Sweat, a first-round selection, added a sack and and two quarterback hits to his breakout campaign that now sees him leading the team with seven sacks. Kevin Pierre-Louis and 2018 first-round pick Da’Ron Payne also added to Washington’s sack tally.

The NFC East has been a laughingstock all season. But if Washington wins the division, it will take an emerging defense that no team wants to face into the playoffs.

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