LANDOVER, Md. -- Never much for words, Colin Kaepernick summed up the best statistical game of his NFL career with typical understatement: "I think this was a good step for us in the right direction." Always one to speak at length when theres a camera around, Robert Griffin III reflected on one of the worst games of his young career by referencing "demons" that need to be conquered and the people who are supposedly "trying to character assassinate" him. While their playing styles may be similar, their public personas are as divergent as their performances were in their first face-to-face matchup. Kaepernick clearly outplayed Griffin on Monday night as the San Francisco 49ers broke a two-game losing streak with a 27-6 win over the Washington Redskins. Kaepernick completed 15 of 24 passes for 235 yards -- the first time in five games hes topped 200 -- with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a career-best 134.5 passing rating. He made a couple of throws to Anquan Boldin that looked worthy of a veteran drop-back quarterback. That should quiet the critics. For a few days, at least. "Some people have baby deer skin," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Hes got the armadillo skin." It will take more than an armadillo to quiet the angst surrounding the Redskins and Griffin, who completed 17 of 27 passes for only 127 yards and was sacked four times. His rating was 58.7, and Washingtons offence amassed a mere 190 total yards. Here are five ruminations on the 49ers (7-4), who remain tied for second with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West, and the Redskins (3-8), who sit alone in the cellar of the NFC East. HEY, WE KNOW THAT OFFENSE: The 49ers did to Griffin what other defences try to do to Kaepernick -- take away the run and force the QB to throw. Alfred Morris rushed for only 52 yards on 14 carries. The Redskins, playing catch-up, gained only 30 total yards after halftime. San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith had his first two sacks since undergoing treatment for substance abuse. RG3 AND DAD: Before Griffin headed to his postgame news conference, the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year spoke with an unusual locker-room visitor: his father. RG2 then tagged along for the news conference. When RG3 returned to finish removing his uniform, the two men chatted for several minutes, sitting face-to-face. Griffin started the evening with four incompletions. When he finally completed his fifth pass, the play lost a yard. His sixth attempt was intercepted. "Weve got to conquer some of the demons that we have going on as an offence," Griffin said, "and just as a team in general." CRABTREE JOINS THE CREW: Injuries to the 49ers receiving corps have often been cited for Kaepernicks lacklustre passing numbers. Mario Manningham (four catches, 45 yards) recently returned to the lineup, and now 2012 leading receiver Michael Crabtree is set to be activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list and play next week. Crabtree returned to practice Nov. 5 for the first time since tearing his right Achilles tendon in May. "We need them all," Harbaugh said. "This is only for the tough. Where our team is headed, its only for the tough." SHANAHAN DISAPPOINTED: Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said his team got "embarrassed." He said he was "disappointed in the way we performed." He acknowledged that his team had not been "dominated like that since Ive been here." The Redskins are 24-36, including playoff games, since Shanahan arrived with a $35 million, five-year contract. They are currently on pace for their third last-place finish in his four seasons. The defence made Kaepernick look fantastic, and cornerback Josh Wilson was particularly generous, repeatedly getting beaten by receivers. There was a sloppy sequence at the end of the first half for Washingtons offence, including a timeout called while the clock was already stopped on a hurry-up drive. And with the score still only 10-6 early in the second half, Shanahan decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the 41 and gave the ball to backup tailback Roy Helu. He was stopped short, and the Niners took over and drove 60 yards for a TD. Still, after all of it, veteran linebacker London Fletcher called Shanahan "a great leader." 49ERS LOOKAHEAD: San Francisco now heads into the stretch run and has to be feeling better about its playoff chances. Of their five remaining games, two are against division foes the Niners beat already -- including St. Louis next Sunday -- and two come against also-rans Tampa Bay and Atlanta. The most intriguing matchup comes in two weeks, at home against NFC West rival Seattle, which leads the NFL with a 10-1 record and beat visiting San Francisco 29-3 in Week 2. Anthony Miller Youth Jersey . Villa has already confirmed his short-term deal and the Daily Mirror reported early Tuesday that Lampard will join him as both build up match fitness ahead of moves to the new Major League Soccer franchise New York City. Akiem Hicks Jersey . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. http://www.bearsrookiestore.com/Bears-Mi...gletary-Jersey/. Redden played a total of 1,023 regular-season games with Ottawa, the New York Rangers, St. Louis and Boston. He finished with 457 points (109 goals, 348 assists) and a plus-160 rating over his career. Roquan Smith Womens Jersey . Phoenix got injured centre Emeka Okafor and a top-12-protected first-round draft pick in 2014 -- giving the rebuilding Suns potentially four choices in the opening round. The Suns also sent guards Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown and Malcolm Lee to Washington so the deal will work financially. Brian Urlacher Jersey . "After consultation with the Team USA medical staff and officials, it was determined that he should return to Winnipeg as a precaution due to his previous injury history," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Wednesday in a statement.LANDOVER, Md. -- For his first preseason game as an NFL head coach, Jay Gruden said his goal was to "eliminate the chaos" on the sideline. Did he succeed? "It was chaotic more so for me than everybody else," the Washington Redskins coach said with a chuckle. "It was a little crazy just with all the headsets." Gruden only needed the offence pumped into his ears during his three years as an offensive co-ordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now he was monitoring offence, defence and special teams and managing all the constituent parts. "Having 85 to 90 guys on the sideline," he said. "Its rough." History will record that Gruden managed his debut just fine. The Redskins beat the New England Patriots 23-6 Thursday night. "Unfortunately," he said, "it doesnt count." Robert Griffin III played only one series, and Tom Brady and most of the Patriots starters didnt play at all in a game that served mostly as an audition for players trying to move up the depth chart or simply make the roster. Griffin completed 2 of 4 passes for 9 yards, and Alfred Morris ran for 27 yards in an 11-play drive that ended with a 39-yard field goal from Kai Forbath. Forbath hit the right upright from 34 yards, but he was given a second chance because the Redskins were whistled for delay of game. "We came out and did what we wanted to do," Griffin said. "Got the 1s in and out, had an effective drive. Got some points, almost had a touchdown." That was enough Griffin for Gruden, who is in charge of reviving the Redskins -- and the franchise quarterback, in particular -- after last years 3-13 tension-filled season that got coach Mike Shanahan fired. Gruden, 47, looked boyish manning the sideline in a burgundy horizontal-striped team shirt, while New Englands Bill Belichick sported the more traditional Patriots short-sleeve blue -- it was too warm for his hoodie. Griffin, who didnt get to play in the preseason a year ago while rehabbing from major knee surgery, said Gruden was "funny" on the sideline -- an adjective most definitely not associated with Shanahan. "Hes not telling me knock-knock jokes as hes giving me plays," Griffin said, "But just on the sideline, youu kind of get to see how (the coaches) dialogue.dddddddddddd They have a good time on the sideline and thats good to see." The Patriots held sway earlier in the week when the teams held three days of joint practices at Washingtons training camp facility in Richmond, Virginia. The sessions showed the Redskins have a ways to go before they can match the polish and efficiency of a perennial Super Bowl contender. So Thursday turned into a well-deserved day off for all but nine of New Englands projected opening day starting 22, including Brady, top off-season acquisition Darrelle Revis, receivers Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman and linebacker Jerod Mayo. Tight end Rob Gronkowski also remains out as he recovers from knee surgery. The backups failed to do much to pick up the slack. Ryan Mallett started at quarterback and completed 5 of 12 passes for 55 yards. Second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo played the second half and went 8 for 12 for 141 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown to Brian Tyms. "I didnt think really we did very many things the way we wanted to do them tonight," Belichick said. "We just werent very good in any phase of the game. We had the ball on the ground. Didnt play well enough on defence. Didnt move the ball, were in too many long-yardage situations. Not good enough in the kicking game. So just overall, weve got a lot of work to do." The Redskins prized free agent pickup, receiver DeSean Jackson, was also sidelined after hurting his left ankle during Wednesdays practice. Among others sitting out for Washington were receiver Pierre Garcon, safety Ryan Clark and safety Phillip Thomas -- all nursing hamstring injuries. Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy each threw touchdown passes for the Redskins, who have won seven consecutive preseason games. Last year they won more games in the preseason (four) than in the regular season (three). Cousins finished 9 for 13 for 103 yards. McCoy was 8 for 9 for 102 yards. Notes: Patriots second-year defensive tackle Chris Jones left with an ankle injury. ... Forbath, facing a challenge from draft pick Zach Hocker, was short on a 46-yard attempt and put a kickoff out of bounds, while Hocker made field goals from 27 and 39 yards. ' ' '