Christian McCaffrey hits new milestone after Kyle Shanahan challenges 49ers

Christian McCaffrey hits new milestone after Kyle Shanahan challenges 49ers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA – Before the 49ers took the field to play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, coach Kyle Shanahan requested his team do something it hadn’t done in more than two full years.

“I challenged [them], saying I’d like to get 40 runs called,” Shanahan said. “That’s not just an offensive thing. In order to do that you’ve got to play defense like we did tonight. You’ve got to play special teams like we did tonight.”

The 49ers did indeed have all three phases working during their 20-10 win over the Falcons at Levi’s Stadium.

It was San Francisco’s offense, specifically Christian McCaffrey and the running game, that really set the tone.

McCaffrey added yet another milestone to his already brilliant NFL career, joining former 49ers great Roger Craig as the only players in franchise history to have at least 100 yards or more from scrimmage in each of the first seven games of a season. Craig accomplished it in 1988.

“Lot of credit to the guys up front,” McCaffrey said after the victory. “Tight ends, receivers blocking, everybody blocking, opening up some big lanes. Defense did a hell of a job keeping us in the game at some tough times.

“Big team win, man. Character win.”

Linebacker Fred Warner is the unquestioned emotional leader of the defense, even when he’s not playing. It’s an unarguable fact.

Same thing goes for McCaffrey and the offense.

Against the Falcons, McCaffrey rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns – his first 100-yard game since 2023 – while hauling in a team-leading seven catches for 72 yards.

“He’s huge,” Shanahan said. “He’s the most consistent player I’ve been around. He allows you to stay on track. He gets every yard in the run game and more.”

A big reason for the 49ers’ success in the ground game Sunday was the return of all-world tight end George Kittle.

The six-time Pro Bowl selection only was targeted twice and didn’t make a single catch for the first time in his career but was a critical part of the blocking that paved the way for the 49ers to rack up 174 yards on the ground, only the second time this season that San Francisco has topped the century mark running as a team.

“I would love to catch the football once in a while,” Kittle said. “When it happens, it happens. When it doesn’t, it is what it is, but when you can run the ball 37-plus times, it’s a fantastic night.”

The night was so good that the 49ers were able to get away with an uncalled penalty on McCaffrey’s second touchdown when he was basically pulled into the end zone by 49ers left guard Connor Colby.

“That’s, that’s just a huge stream play,” McCaffrey said .”For a guy like that is in there busting his ass, man. Those are the kind of plays that are just character plays, and they’re fun to be a part of.”

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