Christian McCaffrey shines in 49ers win over Falcons
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
10.19.25 – Christian McCaffrey ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns as the short-handed San Francisco 49ers delivered a strong ground game to beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-10 on Sunday night.
For all the stars the 49ers might have been missing, they still had McCaffrey, that proved to be the difference against the Falcons.
“That should be our plan every time,” left tackle Trent Williams said about feeding McCaffrey. “He’s one of the better players on our team, so putting the ball in his hands as much as possible works out good for us.”
The usually run-focused 49ers (5-2) had struggled to generate much on the ground all season before getting back to their old style against the Falcons (3-3) with help from the return of tight end George Kittle.
“It’s a different ballgame when he’s in there,” McCaffrey said. “Even when he doesn’t have a big statistical game, the attention that he draws opens so much up.”
2025.10.19 – (ATL Falcons at SF 49ers) NFL Game Highlights
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2025.10.19 – (ATL Falcons at SF 49ers) NFL Game Highlights
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (DF Game Highlights)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (DF Game Highlights)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
McCaffrey had his first 100+ yard rushing game since his Offensive Player of the Year campaign in 2023 and his 201 yards from scrimmage were his most since playing with Carolina in 2019.
“I know we’re still hungry. We haven’t played perfect,” McCaffrey said. “We’ve done a good job coming back from losses and the challenge this week will be coming back from a win and maintaining that focus.”
“He’s the most consistent player I’ve been around,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He just allows you to stay on track. He gets every yard in the run game and more. What he does in the pass game, it’s rare that you throw the ball to him and not get a completion.”
San Francisco’s defense came up big as well despite losing All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner to an ankle injury last week and playing without star edge rusher Nick Bosa.
The 49ers delivered two key plays in the fourth quarter to preserve the lead. The Falcons were driving down 13-10 and had a third-and-1 at the San Francisco 35. But the Niners stopped Bijan Robinson for no gain and then Chase Lucas broke up a pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Drake London on fourth down to end the threat.
“Anytime you get a chance to throw it to one of your best players, you feel pretty good about it,” coach Raheem Morris said. “They made a great play.”
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (Chat Sports Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Mac Jones (10) scrambles against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (Chat Sports Post Game)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (Chat Sports Post Game)
San Francisco then moved the ball downfield on the ground before Jones hit McCaffrey on a 17-yard pass on third and 14 to get down to the 4 against a defense that had only 10 men on the field.
“It was absolutely embarrassing,” Falcon’s coach Morris said. “It was my fault. I’ll get it fixed.”
On the 17-yard play “He actually tried to come out on the play,” Shanahan said of McCaffrey. “He never came out a number of times in the game. We never sent him back once, except for that play. I looked at him and said, “Go back, as long as you’re not hurt.” And he went back. It was a hell of a play, hell of a throw.”
Then came the offense’s grand finale: a 4-yard touchdown run by McCaffrey, who was pulled across the goal line by guard Connor Colby while center Matt Hennessy and guard Dominick Puni assisted. With 2 ½ minutes to go, the 49ers led by 10, and, unlike so often last season, that margin would prove enough.
“I challenged the team, saying I’d like to get 40 runs called,” Shanahan said. “But that’s not just an offensive thing. In order to do that, you got to play defense like we did tonight. You got to play special teams like we did tonight.”
The McCaffrey score with help from rookie offensive lineman Colby, who pulled and carried him into the end zone in a move that is technically a penalty but almost never called.
“I wouldn’t say carried,” Colby said. “His legs were still moving. I was just helping him along.”
Jones threw for only 152 yards with an interception after averaging a league-high 313 yards through the air in his first four starts.
Penix finished 21 for 38 for 241 yards with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Robinson, but the Falcons offense managed just two scores on nine drives.
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (Krueger & Crew Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers’ Eddy Pineiro is congratulated after his 55-yard field goal in 2nd quarter against Atlanta Falcons during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 19, 2025. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (Krueger & Crew Post Game)
2025.10.19 – Falcons at 49ers (Krueger & Crew Post Game)
The running game helped San Francisco take a 7-3 lead on a 1-yard run by McCaffrey and the pass rush helped make it 10-3 at the half.
McCaffrey artistically catapulted the 49ers into the lead 1:48 before halftime. After his 1-yard touchdown run up the middle put the 49ers ahead, he somersaulted into the north end zone, stood up and stretched his arms wide as if taking a bow for his second rushing score in as many games.
That capped a 13-play, 80-yard march requiring three third-down conversions, including a 13-yard completion to McCaffrey at the 1.
Bryce Huff’s strip sack of Penix set up a 55-yard field goal by Eddy Pineiro. San Francisco then forced Penix into an intentional grounding penalty when Atlanta was in field goal range, leading to a 10-second run off that ended the half.
Purdy could be in line to return next game after missing his third straight start Sunday night and his fifth this season because of a toe injury. He practiced in limited fashion last week and was upbeat Sunday after getting in a pregame workout on the training fields.
Injuries
Falcons: LB Divine Deablo (forearm) left the game in the first half and didn’t return.
49ers: C Jake Brendel (hamstring) and CB Renardo Green (toe) left in the first half and didn’t return.
Up next (49ers Roster)
Falcons: Host Miami on Sunday.
49ers: Return to the road for a Sunday visit to the Houston Texans, who has taken a two-game win streak and a 2-3 record into Monday night’s game at Seattle (4-2).
Related: Subpar Mac Jones doomed 49ers to a Buccaneers win
Related: See below – 49ers rally to beat Lions and secure Super Bowl trip
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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