One week after Bijan Robinson led the Atlanta Falcons’ surprise win over the Buffalo Bills in prime time, another star running back stole the NFL spotlight. This time, it was Christian McCaffrey who led the way, as the San Francisco 49ers veteran eclipsed 200 scrimmage yards to carry Kyle Shanahan’s still-depleted NFC West contender to a 20-10 victory on “Sunday Night Football.”
McCaffrey’s multipurpose showcase, which included two rushing scores, helped offset an underwhelming showing from quarterback Mac Jones, who finished with just 152 yards and an interception in place of the injured Brock Purdy. So, too, did a dominant outing from Robert Saleh’s defense, which despite missing iconic veterans like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner swarmed and rattled Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., especially in the latter stages of the low-scoring competition.
Pass rusher Bryce Huff, who was acquired via trade in the offseason, had a strip-sack of Penix and nearly got a second forced fumble late in the game, doing his best impression of Bosa. Meanwhile, second-year reserve Tatum Bethune filled in for Warner at linebacker and thrived, leading the 49ers with 10 tackles, including one behind the line. Backup cornerback Chase Lucas also had a fourth-down pass breakup while defending Drake London and nearly recovered a would-be Penix fumble in the closing minutes.
Robinson still fared reasonably well as a pass outlet for Penix, catching six throws and scoring once, but he was mostly bottled up on the ground. The Falcons were once again plagued by curious play-calling and personnel usage, with Robinson notably subbed out for Atlanta’s failed fourth-down try, and fell to 3-3 on the season with the defeat. The 49ers, on the other hand, now lead the NFC West at 5-2, sharing the same record with the rival Los Angeles Rams.
Stay tuned for big-picture takeaways from Sunday night’s showdown.
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