And to assume Christian McCaffrey was the man everybody was apprehensive about.
After having his 2024 season ruined by bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a PCL pressure, there was loads of concern whether or not McCaffrey’s soccer age was greater than his organic age of 29. Absolutely it was time to begin sharing the load and scale back the carries and receptions to maximise no matter he had left to provide.
But the 49ers have a 6-3 document and McCaffrey retains bouncing off tacklers and bouncing off the turf because the driving power of the 49ers’ offense. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are completed for the season. Brock Purdy has missed seven video games. Brandon Aiyuk continues to be rehabbing a torn ACL/MCL. George Kittle missed 5 video games. Now the 49ers are apprehensive about rookie defensive finish Mykel Williams, who might have a torn ACL.
What sort of odds would have gotten that McCaffrey could be the one nonetheless standing?
The 49ers are working McCaffrey tougher than they ever have since he arrived by commerce in 2022. He rushed 28 video games fo 106 yards and a landing in a 34-24 street win over the Giants. Caught 5 passes for 67 yards and a landing. The 34 touches (for 173 yards) are his most with the 49ers and solely three shy of his profession excessive of 37 when he was 23 years previous and taking part in for the Carolina Panthers.
Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a landing towards the New York Giants in the course of the second half within the sport at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 02, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Pictures)
Time to cease worrying about McCaffrey and simply benefit from the present. McCaffrey had 339 touches when he was the NFL’s Offensive Participant of the Yr in 2023. He’s at the moment on tempo for 434, greater than the 403 he had in 2019 when he turned the third NFL participant to register 1,000-1,000 yards in dashing and receiving, becoming a member of Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk.
No again has ever completed it twice, and McCaffrey is on tempo for 1,126 yards dashing and 1,164 yards receiving.
The 49ers additionally received 53 yards on 5 carries from Brian Robinson Jr., who has adjusted to a secondary position versus being in a two-back system in Washington. Coach Kyle Shanahan is unapologetic about McCaffrey’s use or overuse. He offers McCaffrey Wednesday off and talks about defending him from himself.
Till Sunday, anyway. Then all bets are off.
“Christian’s always been pretty durable,” Shanahan stated. “Last year he had something that never went away, then he hurt his knee on a random run in Buffalo. Christian is the most conditioned, prepared athlete I’ve ever been around. He’s such a big factor in blocking, running and passing. He’s one of the best players I’ve ever been around. I’d like to say he figured something out, but the guy goes as hard as he can every offseason, so there’s not much more to figure out.”
McCaffrey caught to his M.O. of giving credit score to his teammates and shrugging off his exploits together with his traditional “one game at a time, one play at a time explanation.” It could be a cliche, nevertheless it works for him.
Brian Robinson Jr. (3) finishes off an 18-yard landing run Sunday towards the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Getty Pictures
When McCaffrey reached 98 yards dashing and receiving, he turned the turned the seventh quickest participant to achieve 12,000 yards, massing the quantity in 104 video games. The six males forward of him are Edgerrin James (95), LaDainian Tomlinson (95), Eric Dickerson (97), Jim Brown (98), Faulk (102) and Barry Sanders (102).
All are within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
What McCaffrey is doing has turn into so routine there actually wasn’t lots of postgame buzz about what he does as a result of it occurs with regularity. Which is how he prefers it anyway.
“Coming out strong is important to us, it’s important for us to stay emotionally sharp and mentally sharp,” McCaffrey stated. “Sometimes you might score early and not again to the fourth quarter. It’s all about taking one play at a time.”
After final week’s debacle in Houston, the 49ers went again to their perception in stability skewed towards the run if in any respect attainable. They’d 39 rushes — simply as they did towards Atlanta — and gained 159 yards.
“It’s the identity of our team,” left sort out Trent Williams instructed reporters. “Running the ball, possession the ball, converting third downs.”
Within the late third and early fourth quarter and the Giants inside 20-10, quarterback Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for a 13-yard achieve after which Shanahan proceeded to run the ball down New York’s throat with eight straight runs. McCaffrey received the primary 5 and Robinson the final three, together with an 18-yard landing run for a 27-10 lead.
To Shanahan, it was play-calling nirvana.
“The whole time you’re like, ‘Man, can you do it again and get away with it?,’ ” Shanahan said. “Maybe we should do a play-action or something off it.’ And then I just said, `Screw it, we’ll keep running it.’ And the guys scame through. it’s one of the most enjoyable drives you can have when it’s all running plays.”
San Francisco 49ers extensive receiver Jauan Jennings (15) celebrates with extensive receiver Russell Gage (84) and extensive receiver Demarcus Robinson (5) after scoring a landing towards the New York Giants in the course of the second quarter of an NFL soccer sport, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photograph/Frank Franklin)
McCaffrey was comfortable to see Robinson have his finest sport as a 49er. In addition to his dashing yardage, Robinson broke a 41-yard kickoff return that helped arrange the final 49es’ landing — a 3-yard run by McCaffrey.
“He runs so hard and you could tell he’s been itching, and it might not be the way he wants it right now, but to have him is huge for me,” McCaffrey stated. “He pushes me, and with the way he runs, if we can get that flow, I’m really excited. You couldn’t ask for a guy to come in with a better attitude. He just keeps pushing.”
Williams instructed reporters Robinson predicted a giant day prematurely.
“He said, `You know I don’t get a lot of carries but today I’m going to make the most of what I get,’ ” Williams stated. “It’s one thing when a guy says he’s going to do something, another when he actually does it . . . Christian doesn’t leave a lot of crumbs on the table. He understands his role and he comes in ready to go.”
Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers runs towards the New York Giants in the course of the second quarter within the sport at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 02, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Pictures)
