49ers Bulletin: Niners show fans, league that they won’t feel sorry for themseleves; So why should we?

We should have known it was all over as Fred Warner writhed in pain, his ankle in two different pieces, on the grass at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. It was evident then that the 2025 season was chalked. For a second straight year, an absurd compilation of injuries have anchored a once promising 49ers season, now destined to plummet– wait, what’s that? They won? The seemingly porous and definitely inexperienced defense allowed just 10 points without its two hall of fame heartbeats? 

Folks, in that case, forget what I was saying. There’s a reason people like you and me aren’t in charge of things in Santa Clara. If we were, the Niners may have trudged to a loss against the Falcons on Sunday Night Football. And they wouldn’t have been indicted for it. Instead, San Francisco and its coaches turned in a statement win in prime time, reminding the league of a pedigree of consistent winning that has become the norm over much of the last half decade. In 2024, the 49ers felt sorry for themselves. Healing from the emotional wound of a gutting overtime loss in the Super Bowl was quickly compounded by the healing of a number of brutal injuries to key players. The injury reaper has again visited Santa Clara in 2025, but this time? The Niners have laughed in its face, exclaiming defiantly, “you think you can hurt me again?!” 

They put the NFL back on notice behind an incredible performance from Christian McCaffrey, who’s been much maligned in the national spotlight as a back whose best days are firmly behind him. While his incredible peak is likely in the rearview at this point, McCaffrey showed everyone that he can still carry an offense on any given night. 

The work load was intense. CMC touched the rock a whopping 31 total times in the victory, carrying it 24 times for 129 yards, and adding seven receptions for 72 yards. He scored two touchdowns on the ground. Kyle Shanahan pounded the rock to his veteran superstar back. 

His totes and reception total weren’t specifically a part of the game plan. But they also weren’t not a a part of it. Kyle Shanahan made it a point this week that the 49ers would return to their running ways, repeatedly punching Atlanta in the mouth between the tackles. The return of George Kittle played a big role, but the MVP caliber back looking like his dominant self was the biggest variable. 

McCaffrey’s biggest play of the game came on a late 3rd-and-13 in the fourth quarter. In an obvious passing situation, he jogged off the field to get a breather. Usually, Shanahan will let his stars dictate the snaps they take off, but not this time. The Niners’ head coach looked at McCaffrey and simply ordered him to get back in there. He wanted McCaffrey the receiver to be available for the key snap. It’s a good thing he did. CMC escaped the backfield and Mac Jones found him over the middle for a 15-yard-gain. He scored from two yards out two plays later.

His second touchdown didn’t come without controversy. Niners’ guard Connor Colby seemed to wrap his arms around McCaffrey and pull him backwards into the end zone when the running back was seemingly stacked up short of the goal line. The Eagles have the Tush Push, can we call this the Colby Carry? 

Fred Warner was surprisingly present on Sunday night, sporting a cast on his broken ankle while maneuvering around the field pregame on a nifty scooter. His big moment came in the first quarter, when he was shown in a suite on the video board, and pumped up a sellout crowd for 10 or so seconds. He got a deafening reception from the Faithful, one George Kittle jokingly wished had happened when the 49ers were on defense. 

San Francisco is somehow, despite the physical carnage, 5-2 through the season’s first seven games. The schedule, a historically easy trot before the season, has toughened uo a bit. Seemingly easy matchups like the Giants and Colts have turned into tough road games. Especially Indianapolis. But at 5-2, the 49ers have given themselves some room for error. Unfortunately, two of the NFC’s other 5-2 squads reside in the division, with the Seahawks and Rams surging since their respective losses to the Niners. 

Buckle up, Faithful. The Niners reminded us this week that they’re not packing it in.