Christian McCaffrey has been a game changer for the 49ers since the star running back was traded to San Francisco midway through the 2022 NFL season.
That trend continued Sunday at SoFi Stadium as the 49ers pulled off a gritty 30-23 victory over the Los Angeles Rams — their 12th straight regular-season win dating back to last season. That marks the second-longest streak in franchise history, and it all started when McCaffrey became their starter.
The All-Pro contributed to Sunday’s win with 20 carries for 116 rushing yards and a touchdown (and a kindness meaning stiff arm), but that’s not where the high-powered stats stop. Here are six more ways McCaffrey gained his dominance Sunday, helping the 49ers to a 2-0 record and making a little history along the way:
- McCaffrey has 40 rushing touchdowns and 22 touchdown receptions since entering the NFL in 2017 and is the fifth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 40 rushing touchdowns and 20 touchdown receptions in his first seven seasons, along with Neal Anderson (47 rushing, 20 receiving. ), Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (67 rushing, 22 receiving), Chuck Foreman (52 rushing, 23 receiving) and Alvin Kamara (49 rushing, 22 receiving).
- With 116 rushing yards against the Rams, McCaffrey registered 100 or more rushing yards in back-to-back games for the sixth time in his career. His 152 rushing yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 and his 116 rushing yards against Los Angeles marked the second time he accomplished the feat as a member of the 49ers.
- McCaffrey is the first NFL RB to rush for 100 or more yards in Weeks 1 and 2 since New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley accomplished the feat in 2019.
- McCaffrey’s 268 rushing yards in Weeks 1 and 2 are the second most by a 49ers RB through the first two weeks of the season (RB Garrison Hearst – 325 rushing yards in Weeks 1-2 in 1998).
- McCaffrey’s rushing TD against the Rams marked his second of the season and 40th of his career. It also marked McCaffrey’s eighth straight regular-season game with one or more TDs, marking the longest streak of his career and the most consecutive games with one or more TDs by a 49ers player since RB Raheem Mostert [8 games (Week 12, 2019 – Week 2, 2020)].
- Including the playoffs, McCaffrey has scored one or more TDs in 11 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak of any player in the NFL and the second longest streak by a member of the 49ers. [WR Jerry Rice, 1987 – 12 consecutive games with one or more TDs (Week 1-16)].
With a full offseason to study and learn coach Kyle Shanahan’s playbook, it’s clear that McCaffrey’s success in 2022 isn’t just a fluke after the first two games of his first full season in one 49ers uniform.
And with the urgency to bring back a sixth Super Bowl victory to the Bay in as long as a season, the 49ers certainly hope McCaffrey’s greatness continues.
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