The 49ers are surprisingly one game back of the Seattle Seahawks as they take the bye in Week 9, but they are very well-placed to make a run at regaining the NFC West title they last won in 2019.
San Francisco’s 31-14 blowout win over the Rams in Week 8 saw the 49ers sweep Los Angeles for the fourth successive season to improve to 4-4 and, crucially, 3-0 in the division having easily seen off the Seahawks 27-7 in Week 2.
According to Tankathon, the 49ers have the eighth-easiest remaining schedule in the NFL, seemingly setting them up to turn an uneven start into a season in which they win the division, earn the right to host a home playoff game and contend to go deep into the NFC playoffs.
Yet with the Seahawks having the sixth-easiest remaining schedule, achieving that first aim is not likely to be an easy feat. The key to doing so, though, surrounds them maintaining the offensive standards they set while sweeping the Rams and realizing the potential of the attack following the blockbuster acquisition of star running back Christian McCaffrey.
Becoming only the fourth player since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to throw for a touchdown, rush for a touchdown and catch a receiving touchdown in the same game, McCaffrey was sensational in his first significant playing time for the Niners against the Rams having played a cameo role on short notice against the Kansas City Chiefs following his trade from the Carolina Panthers.
His performance was not solely an exhibition of arguably the most well-rounded skill set of any running back in the league, but also a mouthwatering and spectacular taster of what this offense could become during the stretch run.
There was not an aspect of the offense McCaffrey did not influence against the Rams. He consistently produced explosive plays in the run game and used his vision and elusiveness to turn runs that looked set to be shut down in the backfield because of missed blocks into positive plays. However, he was just as impactful in the passing game.
Indeed, McCaffrey was an outstanding outlet for Jimmy Garoppolo, his ability to turn checkdown throws into first downs by making defenders miss giving Garoppolo the confidence to work through his progressions and hit the simple underneath throw to the running back rather than forcing riskier balls further downfield.
With faith in McCaffrey the receiver quickly established, Garoppolo will likely rely heavily on his new teammate on quick throws to negate the impact of pressure looks from defenses. In essence, through his receiving skills, McCaffrey becomes an extra layer of pass protection.
His gravity was also apparent in the passing game, with the attention the Rams’ defense paid him helping create significant pass plays for George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, most tellingly on the double pass to the latter on which the 49ers scored their first touchdown.
Kyle Shanahan was quick to take advantage of the extra opportunity for deception McCaffrey offers the 49ers head coach and also frequently deployed his new running back and now former running back Jeff Wilson Jr. in the backfield at same time.
Yet, given Deebo Samuel missed the win over the Rams with a hamstring injury, the reality is Shanahan has not come close to scratching the surface of what he can do with this versatile group of skill-position players.
McCaffrey and ‘wide back’ Samuel are certain to line up in the backfield together, both go out into formation as receivers, interchange between those two positions and constantly go in motion. In other words, Shanahan will use the range of diverse skill sets at his disposal to put defenses in ceaseless brain-breaking conflict.
McCaffrey’s hot start to life as a 49er brought their well-documented second-half point-scoring troubles to an end in emphatic fashion, and the return of Samuel — as well as another running back, Elijah Mitchell — to the mix will be expected to ensure that worries about inconsistency on offense quickly become a thing of the past.
Trey Lance was supposed to be the force multiplier for the 49ers in 2022. Instead, McCaffrey has taken on that role, with the level of weaponry San Francisco’s offense now boasts elevating the ceiling of an offense that appeared to have peaked with Jimmy Garoppolo under center.
Of course, the substantial upside of the attack can only be harnessed if it stays healthy. San Francisco fans need no reminder of Garoppolo’s injury history, McCaffrey has endured durability woes over his career, and there are similar issues around Samuel and Kittle. On top of that, the offensive line has only just returned to full strength following injuries at tackle.
But leaning on Garoppolo, a run game that was not anywhere close to firing on all cylinders and a defense battling injuries never looked likely to be a recipe for contention for San Francisco.
The infusion of McCaffrey into the attack and the increased means by which Shanahan can manipulate defenses and engineer explosive plays on the ground and through the air means the 49ers now have such a formula. If they can stay healthy and use it to deliver the offensive success this group is more than capable of delivering, an NFC West crown will come San Francisco’s way.
