The 49ers and the Washington Football Team faced off last season in a dismal, rainy, sloppy game in Washington that ended with a 9-0 49ers victory. This season’s showdown comes with much different stakes.

San Francisco is struggling at 5-7 while Washington is rolling with three consecutive victories to jump to 5-7 and stay in the thick of the NFC East race.

To get a grip on just how good the Football Team is, we checked in with the managing editor of Washington Football Wire Zachary Neel. Here’s our chat:

1 NW: Grade Alex Smith’s performance since he became the starter, and does he seem to be improving?

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Zachary Neel: I think that Alex Smith has done everything that’s been asked of him since becoming a starter in Washington, but giving him a grade for his performance thus far is somewhat difficult. On the one-hand, if you take a look at his stats week-in and week-out, there’s nothing that really wow’s you, but he is pretty consistently good for 175-225 yards passing, a touchdown, and occasionally a turnover. He won’t win the game for you, but he won’t lose the game for you either.

On the other hand, watching Smith come back from the leg injury that should have ended his career 9 times out of 10, even thinking about giving him a grade less than an A+ feels like borderline malpractice. The guy has found a way to get back under center and lead the team to meaningful wins, making some big plays while at it. On top of his play on the field, his presence in the locker room has a lot to do with why Washington is on a winning streak, and the teammates absolutely adore him. Judging Smith strictly as a quarterback, I’d give him a solid B, but if you take him as a whole package, he’s as close to an A+ as you can get.

2 NW: We’ve heard a lot about Washington’s DL, but who do you think is the player the 49ers need to focus on the most?

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ZN: The defensive line in Washington is a lot like the defensive line in San Francisco last year; a ton of young first-round talent that is finding a home in the NFL. While all of the headlines may paint Chase Young as the guy to watch, the person who has really stepped up is Montez Sweat, a first-round pick from 2019. Time and again he has found a way to make huge plays, like the game-sealing tipped pass that led to an interception over the Steelers last week, or a pick-six on Thanksgiving Day that put the nail in the coffin over the Cowboys. All eyes will rightfully be on Chase Young as he lines up against Trent Williams this weekend, but if you want to see a future superstar in the making, just watch what Sweat does.

3 NW: With former future 49er Antonio Gibson out, will Washington have any semblance of a run game?

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ZN: Losing Gibson is pretty crushing for Washington, as anyone can see the type of talent and production he brings to the table. However, not many people realize how good RB J.D. McKissic has been in Washington’s offense this season, playing a huge role in the passing game and giving the team a lot of production when they need it, especially on third down. However, McKissic doesn’t have a big role in the running game, so backup RB Peyton Barber will be asked to fill some pretty big shoes on Sunday. He was okay against the Steelers after Gibson went out, but nowhere near as good as the rookie.

4 NW: Terry McLaurin is awesome, but who else does San Francisco’s secondary have to worry about?

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ZN: Everyone knows about McLaurin, but two guys to keep your eyes on are WR Cam Sims and TE Logan Thomas. Starting with Sims, the former undrafted free agent took a couple of years to get acclimated to the NFL, but he’s really come into his own this season in Washington, and he might even own the role of WR2 in Washington. As for Thomas, his presence as a legitimate pass-catching TE has been a saving grace for this offense, who has been without a solid option at that position since Jordan Reed’s healthy days several years ago.

5 NW: Who wins and why?

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ZN: Call me a homer, but I really think Washington wins this game, and I don’t think it will come down to the wire either. With the defense that they have, and their ability to absolutely shut down the running game, I don’t think the 49ers backfield will be too productive on Sunday, and with Nick Mullens under center, I could see a handful of sacks to go along with it. In the end, I expect a relatively low-scoring game, but my money is on Washington to stretch their winning streak to four and keep making a push for the playoffs. Give me Washington 24, San Francisco 13.