With many of the 49ers’ biggest stars out with injuries, running back Christian McCaffrey put the team on his back and racked up 201 yards just by himself, as the Niners pummeled the Falcons for a big 20-10 win.  

You San Francisco 49ers have usually not had much to worry about on weekends when the traditionally woeful Atlanta Falcons come to town. But the Atlanta Falcons team that come to town on Sunday night was fresh off shocking the very good Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football last week, with their emerging running back Bijan Robinson looking like the league’s big new star and piling up 170 yards combined rushing and receiving in that game. Oh, and the 49ers are still without quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa, and linebacker Fred Warner.

But 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey outperformed even Bijan Robinson’s big game last week, with McCaffrey racking up 129 yards rushing and another 72 yards receiving Sunday night (201 total yeards). That led to a 20-10 49ers win on NBC’s big nationally televised Sunday Night Football game, and the awful Carrie Underwood song and terrible analysis of Chris Collinsworth-less that comes with that prime-time slot. (Late in the third quarter, Collinsworth called the Falcons’ Robinson “unstoppable” on a play on which he gained two yards).

Above we see McCaffrey’s winning touchdown that put the game away, where he is stopped for a short gain shy of the goal line, but a pile of fellow 49ers pushes his rumbling, stumbling body in for the score.

There were not many highlights to this game that did not involve Christian McCaffrey! He scored another short-yardage touchdown for the team’s only other TD of the night in the first quarter too. McCaffrey was personally responsible for 14 first downs Sunday night alone (most for any player in a single game this season), and he leads the league with 52 first downs overall.

But it was the 49ers defense that shot down the suddenly high-flying Falcons. Their 10-3 halftime lead came thanks to Bryce Huff sacking and forcing a fumble from Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.,  and our favorite new kicker Eddy Piñeiro hitting a 55-yard field goal just before the half. Piñeiro has now set a franchise record by hitting 17 consecutive field goals without a miss since he joined the 49ers in September, which is not bad for a man who was fully unemployed and out of the league just six weeks ago.

And Christan McCaffrey may not have scored that winning touchdown if not for this huge 49ers defensive stop on fourth down. Niners cornerback Chase Lucas talks you through how he knew what play was coming and knocked down the pass, which stopped the Falcons' last real chance at a comeback win.

So 49ers fans wake up at first place in the NFC West this Monday morning, as we have each Monday so far this season. And the Niners own the tiebreaker over the Rams, having beaten those Rams two weeks ago.

Now it's back to one of those “10 am start” games this coming Sunday, as the Niners visit the Houston Texans and our old friend Demeco Ryans. The 49ers expect both Brock Purdy and emerging receiver Ricky Pearsall to return this week, so maybe someone other than Christian McCaffrey will be able to score a touchdown this Sunday.

Related: Underdog 49ers Shock LA Rams With 26-22 Overtime Win, Take Sole Possession of First Place In NFC West [SFist]

Image: SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 19: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter in the game at Levi's Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)