Daily Madden: 49ers Need Strong Start Sunday
SAN FRANCSICO (CBS SF) - Tied with Seattle for second place and three games behind Arizona in the NFC West, San Francisco hosts Washington at Levi's Stadium Sunday.
"The Redskins look like they're in disarray now," John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew. "(They're) a little dysfunctional and having some problems, and probably come in fragile. And when you get a team like that you want to keep them there. You don't want to give them any life early to let them come out of their doldrums."
Madden said the Raiders victory over the Chiefs provides a lesson for the 49ers.
"That's kind of what the Raiders did to Kansas City last night. Kansas City is the favorite. They're supposed to win that game. The Raiders get up seven. The Raiders get up 14. And now you're in a dogfight. And the 49ers can't allow the Redskins to do that. They have to come out and right off the bat play their best defense and put some points on the board."
With Seattle-Arizona kicking off at the same time, the 49ers won't be able to watch the game. But they'll be interested in the outcome.
"I think Seattle should win it (at home)," Madden said. "The other side of myself says that Arizona beat them last year there... (But) Arizona is one of those teams to me that I just have a tough time buying into them as a top team in the NFL." (8:05)
(Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 and Monday and Friday mornings at 9:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.)