New York – The 49ers ended their two-game skid in emphatic fashion Sunday, overpowering the New York Giants 34–24 behind a revitalized offensive attack. Mac Jones delivered one of his best performances tossing two touchdown and Christian McCaffrey scored twice to pace a stellar performance by the offense.
The victory provided a timely boost for San Francisco, which has weathered a rash of injuries to key starters in recent weeks. After struggling for rhythm and execution during their brief slide, the 49ers looked sharp and confident on both sides of the ball.
Jones delivered 19 of 24 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns. His 135.2 passer rating was his highest in nearly four years, dating back to a 142.1 mark against Cleveland on November 14, 2021, when he was with the New England Patriots. Jones connected with McCaffrey on a 5-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and then found Jauan Jennings for an 11-yard score in the second.
McCaffrey continued to make history, powering the offense with 28 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown, along with five receptions for 67 yards and another score. The performance marked his 16th career game with at least one rushing and one receiving touchdown, breaking Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk’s NFL record.
It also marked McCaffrey’s seventh such game as a 49er, the most in franchise history. He now has 37 career games with 50 or more rushing yards, including 13 with San Francisco. Among those, his 13 games with both 50-plus rushing and 50-plus receiving yards rank third-most in team history, further cementing his place among the 49ers’ all-time greats.
San Francisco’s defense delivered a statement performance, locking down the Giants’ offense with relentless pressure and disciplined play. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell made a strong return to action, registering three tackles and his first sack of the season, the 18th of his career, as the 49ers front line consistently disrupted New York’s quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Linebacker Sam Okuayinonu added four tackles and a sack, building on his productive season and raising his total to 2.0 sacks on the year and 5.5 for his career. Rookie linebacker Tatum Bethune emerged as a force in the middle, recording a career-high 16 tackles, the most by a San Francisco player in a single game since Michael Wilhoite’s 16-tackle performance against the Giants on October 11, 2015.
The effort highlighted the depth and resilience of San Francisco’s defensive unit, which continues to serve as the backbone of the team heading into the midseason stretch. Next week, the 49ers return home for a pivotal NFC West showdown against the division-leading Los Angeles Rams, who sit at 6-2. San Francisco, currently in third place at 6-3, will look to close the gap and build on its defensive momentum in one of the most anticipated matchups of the season.
Photos by 49ers/Twitter
