2022 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 16

Washington Commanders (7-6-1) at San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

Saturday, December 24, 4:05 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers just keep on winning. The longest current winning streak in the entire NFL belongs to the 49ers, the team that has had to cycle through three quarterbacks this season and is now playing outstanding complimentary team football with this year’s Mr. Irrelevant — Brock Purdy — lined up under center.

After beating their division rivals in Seattle on Thursday night, the 49ers have had a mini bye week to prepare for the Washington Commanders, who are fresh off of a tough and slightly unfair loss against the New York Giants. The Commanders were down by eight points anyway, so nobody knows if they would have been able to convert for two points after they scored, but they were called for a pretty bad illegal formation on a Brian Robinson touchdown and then Giants cornerback Darnay Holmes blatantly interfered with Curtis Samuel on the final play of the game, but nothing was called.

The brutal loss for the Commanders hasn’t taken them out of the postseason discussion at this point, but there are teams nipping at their heels. In order for Taylor Heinicke to get himself a pair of red and gold or red and black Jordans after this game, he’s going to have to beat the no. 1 defense in the NFL.

Demeco Ryans’ crew deserves so much credit for the way this season has gone for the 49ers and they are arguably the reason why this team should be considered the favorites in the NFC, even potentially over the Philadelphia Eagles. The 49ers haven’t allowed an opponent over 17 points since Week 7 when they got beat by the Kansas City Chiefs and gave up 44.

It’s going to be a hard-fought battle out there between two teams that boast very physical defenses and two teams that have frankly some of the best offensive weaponry in football right now.

Prediction: 49ers win 24-16