Christian McCaffrey drew inspiration from Bijan Robinson and used it to overshadow the younger operating again and energy the San Francisco 49ers previous the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday evening.
McCaffrey had 24 carries for 129 yards and two speeding touchdowns, added to seven receptions, in a virtuoso show that carried the 49ers to a 20-10 victory.
If the 29-year-old was making an attempt to show there was life within the outdated canine but then he actually succeeded. Robinson, arguably the highest RB this season, contributed 40 speeding yards and 52 receiving however was properly marshalled by a 49ers protection lacking standout linebacker Fred Warner.
Pals Reunited however McCaffrey has final giggle
McCaffrey and Robinson have struck up a friendship after coaching collectively, on the latter’s request, final summer time. Robinson’s uptick in kind suggests he realized quite a bit from the older man however McCaffrey additionally took lots on board.
“Oh, man, he’s inspiring,” McCaffrey advised the San Francisco Chronicle.
“I realized that he’s a tricky man to coach with should you’re attempting to be as athletic as he’s. I don’t have sufficient good issues to say about him. He’s bought every thing you’ll need in a again – velocity, quickness, power, energy, explosion…
“Factor I like most about him is simply the form of man he’s.”
McCaffrey leads the NFL in scrimmage yards this season (981) and is on tempo to have over 1,000 yards each speeding and receiving.
“He’s large,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned. “He’s essentially the most constant participant I’ve been round. He simply lets you keep on observe. He will get each yard within the run sport and extra and what he does within the go sport … it’s uncommon that you simply’re going to throw a ball to him and never get a completion.”
George Kittle key to win
The 49ers offense regarded extra properly rounded with the return of tight finish George Kittle from a five-game absence resulting from a hamstring harm.
Kittle didn’t have a single reception on two targets however his mere presence, and blocking means, had a distracting impact.
“It’s a special ballgame when he’s in there,” McCaffrey mentioned. “Even when he doesn’t have a giant statistical sport, the eye that he attracts opens a lot up … Once you’ve bought guys like that on the sector, simply their presence alone strikes plenty of worry in coordinators and so it’s important to maintain eyes on them.”
