Will Offensive Woes Cost 49ers a Playoff Spot?

The San Francisco 49ers won their Week 12 matchup over the Washington Redskins despite an offense that generated just 17 points and 312 all-purpose yards.

In back-to-back weeks, the 49ers have managed to score no more than 17 points against lackluster sub-.500 teams—the New York Giants and Redskins respectively.

Against New York, San Francisco produced five interceptions from Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Yet the offense was able to put up just three points off those turnovers. The 49ers also struggled in the red zone—going 0-of-4 and scoring just six points in the process.

Credit: StatMilk.com

One might have thought that the offense's difficulties would be attributed to the East Coast travel and the 49ers would respond with a better showing at home against a Redskins team that had allowed the 10th-most points (256) prior to its Week 12 contest.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

But that didn't happen.

San Francisco's offense once again stumbled and flopped, letting Washington's offense climb right back into the game after the 49ers got out to an early 7-0 lead.

It took something that San Francisco's first-team offense had not done all season—scoring a fourth-quarter touchdown—to provide the difference, eventually giving the 49ers a 17-13 victory.

Such woes have put increasing pressure on the defense to hold slim margins late into games. What has worked against New York and Washington may not be as effective against some of the tougher opponents San Francisco has to face in the remaining weeks.

Linebacker Ahmad Brooks was one of the first to call out his offensive teammates.

"Our offense didn't play as good as they should have," Brooks said via Bud Geracie of Bay Area News Group. "They turned the ball over a lot."

San Francisco gave up three fumbles to Washington.

Christian Gin of Examiner.com elaborates on the offensive struggles and their subsequent effects upon the defense:

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Offensively, the 49ers overcame three turnovers and were forced to punt six times in what was a defensive duel. Washington struggled offensively too, where Robert Griffin III was uncomfortable in the pocket and couldn't nail his throws. He only completed 11 of 19 pass attempts. 

There are still concerns with the offense as it took nearly the entire second half to score their first offensive touchdown with the starting offense while in the fourth quarter, but the defense picked up the slack, again.

"

It is becoming an all-too familiar story for the 49ers and one that does not bode well for a team that still sits on the outside of the playoff picture—an offense that fails to produce while the defense frantically tries to do its best to keep the team in contention.

As the No. 7 seed in the NFC prior to Week 12, the 49ers will have to play close attention to what teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions, among others, will do down the stretch. 

But three of San Francisco's remaining five games come against elite competition within the NFC West.

The first of these is on Thursday, November 27—a prime-time Thursday Night Football matchup against the Seahawks.

Washington had allowed 256 points prior to Week 12. The Giants—San Francisco's Week 11 opponent—entered the week with the eighth-highest points allowed (263).

On the flip side, the Seahawks have given up just 215 points before this week—12th best in the NFL at that mark. Seattle had given up the third-fewest all-purpose yards (3,061) entering Week 12. The 49ers defense was one spot behind at 3,088 yards allowed.

But it will be on the offense to overcome those numbers. San Francisco's defense is doing its job.

Two games against New York and Washington have suggested this unit is incapable of accomplishing this. Seattle will obviously be a much tougher test than those faced when the 49ers couldn't get much done offensively against the Giants and Redskins.

While the Week 13 matchup versus Seattle plays slightly into San Francisco's favor—a home game at Levi's Stadium—the 49ers offense will need to figure things out.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press/Associated Press

Quickly.

We can also speculate another difficult challenge with the division-leading Cardinals. While two games remain against Seattle, the 49ers will finish their season with a potentially vital game at home versus Arizona.

Considering the playoff picture, this divisional contest could have decisive implications.

But it will all matter for not if the offense cannot get things together.

The blame for these efforts can be placed in various areas. Head coach Jim Harbaugh, who involves himself in the offensive play-calling, bears a portion of the concern. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has already been a target of criticism, such as that of Al Sacco of 49ersWebZone.com.

"

one of these guys is a top notch NFL coordinator. The other is Greg Roman https://t.co/qUDfTCz4RG pic.twitter.com/ZBdMMRNyXg

— Al Sacco (@AlSacco49) November 24, 2014"

And some of the struggles must fall upon the players themselves.

Harbaugh and Roman can't coach fumbles. The 49ers had four of these on Sunday.

While San Francisco lost the turnover differential, it won the game. Can the same be said of a similar performance against either Arizona or Seattle?

The same question can be asked of a red-zone offense that, despite being 1-of-2 in Week 12, has been at the bottom of the NFL in 2014.

All of these offensive problems have put increasing pressure on the defense.

The 49ers defense has been able to scramble to save the team against lowly offensive opponents like Washington and New York. This might not be the case in subsequent weeks.

At best, San Francisco wins all three of its remaining divisional games. A more realistic, hopeful approach is a season-split with the Seahawks, with the win coming at home at Levi's Stadium. This would be combined with a 49ers victory over the Cardinals in Week 17.

But with the offense floundering—backed up by what it has been unable to do over the last two weeks—one can see that it isn't beyond doubt that San Francisco drops two, perhaps all three, of these remaining NFC West games.

Considering the nature of the division and the NFC playoff picture in general, are these losses the 49ers can afford?

Most likely not.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers' news, insight and analysis.

Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.