Santa Clara – Christian McCaffrey rushed for two touchdowns to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 20–10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. McCaffrey’s performance anchored a balanced effort, as the 49ers’ defense delivered a standout showing, making key stops and forcing turnovers against one of the NFC’s most dynamic offenses.
McCaffrey put on a vintage performance Sunday night, carrying the ball 24 times for a season-high 129 yards and two touchdowns, while adding seven receptions for 72 yards. His 201 total yards from scrimmage marked his fourth career game eclipsing the 200-yard mark.
With that effort, McCaffrey became the first 49ers player to record at least 200 yards from scrimmage since Jeff Wilson Jr. in 2020, when Wilson totaled 204 yards against Arizona on December 26. He’s also the first San Francisco player to post 200-plus scrimmage yards and multiple rushing touchdowns in a single game since Frank Gore’s 246-yard, two-touchdown outing against Seattle on September 20, 2009.
McCaffrey’s 64 career games with 100 or more yards from scrimmage now stand as the most among all active NFL running backs, a testament to his consistency and all-around dominance.
“He’s huge for us. He’s the most consistent player I’ve ever been around,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He gets every yard that’s there in the run game, and more. And in the passing game, it’s rare that you throw his way and don’t come away with a completion.”
“Yeah, I’m just super happy we got the win,” McCaffrey said. “A lot of credit goes to the guys up front, the tight ends, receivers, everyone blocking and opening up big lanes in the run game. The defense did a hell of a job keeping us in it during some tough stretches. It was a big team win, a character win, and I’m really proud of our guys.”
One of the game’s biggest moments came on fourth down when cornerback Chase Lucas made a crucial play, breaking up Michael Penix Jr.’s pass intended for Drake London. Lucas nearly came away with a pick-six, but the stop forced Atlanta to punt instead of extending the drive, a key defensive stand that helped seal the 49ers’ victory.
“We had a team coming in on a two-game win streak with a high-powered offense,” Deommodore Lenoir said. “For us to come out and play like that on defense, even with so many guys missing, was second to none. We understood the assignment, it was going to take all 11 of us rallying to the ball to stop a great runner [Bijon Robinson] like that.”
After a scoreless first quarter, the 49ers finally put together a long drive, 15 plays deep, before disaster struck. Quarterback Mac Jones was intercepted on a pass intended for Jauan Jennings, and Falcons linebacker Kaden Ellis returned it 16 yards. The turnover set up a 38-yard field goal from John Parker Romo, giving Atlanta a 3–0 lead early in the second quarter.
San Francisco eventually broke through just before halftime. With two minutes left in the second quarter, Jones connected with Christian McCaffrey for a 13-yard completion to move the 49ers to the 2-yard line. On the next play, McCaffrey powered up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown, putting the 49ers ahead 7–3.
At the 1:26 mark of the second quarter, Bryce Huff delivered a game-changing hit on Penix Jr., sacking him from behind and forcing a fumble. The 49ers recovered at the Falcons’ 40-yard line, setting up a prime scoring opportunity before halftime.
“They did a really good job tackling and staying disciplined,” said Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris. “They slowed down our run game and took away the big plays. That’s what their defense does best, and they executed their plan. Unfortunately, we didn’t execute ours.”
Atlanta’s defense stood tall, forcing San Francisco to settle for a field goal as Eddie Piñeiro connected from 55 yards out. But the 49ers’ defense slipped on the ensuing drive, allowing Penix Jr. to hit Darnell Mooney for a 38-yard gain. The Falcons’ momentum stalled shortly after, as an intentional grounding penalty cost them both yardage and a down, with a 10-second runoff ending the half.
Piñeiro added to San Francisco’s lead early in the third quarter with a 43-yard field goal, putting the 49ers up 13–3. Atlanta answered on its next possession as Penix Jr. connected with Robinson for a 10-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 13–10 with 6:28 remaining in the quarter. The 49ers’ defense regrouped from there, forcing the Falcons to punt on their next two drives to maintain the lead heading into the final period.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, the offense went cold in the fourth quarter as the 49ers’ defense took control. Linebacker Tatum Bethune, filling in for the injured Fred Warner, led a spirited defensive effort that kept constant pressure on Penix Jr. and forced multiple turnovers. San Francisco’s defense frustrated the Falcons throughout the half, closing out one of its most complete performances of the season.
“I’ve been playing in big games since I was a kid,” Tatum Bethune said. “All week, my main focus was playing up to Fred’s [Warner] standard and not letting my teammates down. I didn’t want to be the reason for a big play like what happened last week against Tampa.
My preparation and the defense’s preparation were locked in all week. I even went over to Malik Mustapha’s house a few times to watch film, texting him about play calls and route concepts. It’s still new to me in some ways, but I’m really proud of how we played. Now, I’m just focused on how we can keep getting better. We haven’t played a perfect game yet.”
George Kittle made his long-awaited return to the lineup Sunday night, and while he was targeted only twice, his impact went far beyond the stat sheet. The veteran tight end provided critical run blocks that paved the way for Christian McCaffrey’s two touchdowns and brought a steady leadership presence to the offense.
Kittle’s blocking and energy helped set the tone early, giving the 49ers’ ground game an extra edge against a tough Falcons front. His ability to command attention from defenders opened up lanes for McCaffrey and kept Atlanta’s defense on its heels throughout the night.
“Absolutely,” McCaffrey said. “It’s a completely different ballgame when George is out there. Even if he doesn’t have a big statistical game, the attention he draws opens everything up. That’s what makes football the ultimate team sport. When you have guys like him on the field, their presence alone makes defensive coordinators adjust. Some games it’s me who benefits with open lanes, other times it’s him or someone else, that’s what being a team is all about. Having George out there is a huge deal.”
With 2:26 left in the game, McCaffrey sealed the win, breaking through the line for a 4-yard touchdown run to extend the 49ers’ lead to 20–10.
“It really excites me when our run game is clicking and we’re rushing the ball 30, even close to 40 times,” said Kittle. “That’s owning the time of possession and keeping explosive players like number seven [Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson] off the field. If we do our job and limit his touches, that’s good football for us. It puts us in the mindset to hit hard and give [49ers RBs Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr.] as many carries as possible, just run through people, the polite way to put it. That’s a great mindset to bring into any NFL game.”
Photo by 49ers/Twitter
