RB Christian McCaffrey given restricted workload in 49ers debut

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After their daring commerce for working again Christian McCaffrey late Thursday night time, San Francisco 49ers normal supervisor John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan cautioned that whereas the transfer was made with an eye fixed towards championship aspirations, it wasn’t going to single-handedly get them a Lombardi Trophy.

On Friday afternoon, Lynch stated McCaffrey wasn’t a “magic capsule,” with Shanahan including that McCaffrey is “not the one factor we’re lacking.” The message was easy: McCaffrey can provide vital help, however for all of it to work, others should step up, too.

The 49ers acquired that memo loud and clear Sunday afternoon when the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs walloped them 44-23, dropping San Francisco to 3-4 on the season.

On roughly 48 hours of discover, McCaffrey was given a restricted workload, enjoying 21 snaps and ending with 38 yards on 8 carries and a pair of catches for twenty-four yards. Given the dearth of time to soak up Shanahan’s playbook, McCaffrey fared effectively however the Niners turned the ball over thrice, dedicated 10 penalties for 80 yards, have been 2-of-5 within the crimson zone and yielded 9.1 yards per play, probably the most their protection has given up in a sport since 1965.

“He isn’t going to be the savior however he is undoubtedly going to assist us out,” tight finish George Kittle stated. “I believe these subsequent two weeks are gonna be big for Christian to grasp our offense and be comfy on the market to not assume in any respect, simply exit and run as a result of that is what he is actually good at. Like I stated, penalties, turnovers, giving up large performs on protection — we have to be higher than that. We weren’t at present. That is the way you lose soccer video games.”

McCaffrey arrived within the Bay Space on Friday morning and joined the staff’s apply that day about midway by means of after passing a bodily so the commerce might be made official. On the time, no person was sure whether or not he’d even play in opposition to the Chiefs, however he spent the remainder of Friday and all of Saturday working to grasp as a lot of the offense as attainable.

Shanahan and the Niners have been comfy sufficient with what he realized to place in about 20 performs for McCaffrey and make him lively because the backup to starter Jeff Wilson Jr.

After Sunday’s loss, McCaffrey credited his teammates and coaches for serving to him rise up to hurry rapidly sufficient to not less than contribute.

“This was a bizarre week for me and for them,” McCaffrey stated. “I did not form of know what to anticipate. I do know that I had a sure record of performs that have been up and I believe for me mentally this was simply concentrate on every thing I can, management what I can management and get rolling. Clearly, dropping is irritating however I am nonetheless attending to know these guys. I’ve acquired to do my job. I’ve acquired to make a number of extra performs right here.”

Offensively, the Niners had little hassle transferring the ball whether or not McCaffrey was in or not. In line with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, the Niners averaged 5.6 yards per play when McCaffrey was on the sphere and 6.4 yards per play when he wasn’t.

The 49ers completed with 444 yards of offense however they struggled to complete drives with touchdowns as a substitute of subject objectives in opposition to Kansas Metropolis’s high-octane offense. Within the first half alone, they moved the ball contained in the Chiefs’ 35 5 occasions and got here away with just one landing.

“We have to play higher soccer,” Shanahan stated. “We had some performs the place I assumed we had some alternatives and we did not do effectively, particularly some self-inflicted issues, which I believe went in all three phases. So, whatever the gamers we have added, we now have good gamers I imagine, and I believe we added one other one however we have to play higher to make the most of that.”

With the dash to Sunday over, McCaffrey will get his first full week with the Niners to be taught the playbook. Shanahan stated one of many keys might be educating him the protections so his position can broaden. McCaffrey additionally famous that a lot of what he should determine is timing together with his blockers within the staff’s outdoors zone heavy run scheme.

Earlier than departing for his subsequent playbook research session, McCaffrey made it clear that no person goes to attend round for him to catch up.

“Soccer is soccer,” McCaffrey stated. “Nobody cares if I acquired right here two days in the past or if I have been right here since April. If I am on the market with a uniform on, I count on to be ready and I am positive my teammates and coaches count on me to be ready, too. You’ll be able to’t sit there and make excuses and say, ‘I have not had a whole lot of time.’ You have to get able to go.”