49ers top Panthers, as Christian McCaffrey beats former team

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Although the bruised and battered San Francisco 49ers have not had many aesthetically pleasing wins this season, they’ve discovered methods to get the victory.

It occurred once more Monday night time, because the Niners overcame a litany of first-half errors to knock off the Carolina Panthers 20-9 in a sport that figures to be pivotal within the NFC playoff chase.

With the win, the 49ers improved to 8-4, together with 7-2 in opposition to NFC opponents. Carolina fell to 6-6 and 4-3 in NFC video games.

In keeping with ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index, the Niners bolstered their playoff hopes from 86% to 91.3% and put the Panthers’ probabilities in peril, as they dropped from 22.7% to 18%.

Regardless of quarterback Brock Purdy offering loads of alternatives for the Panthers to determine a lead and maybe steal a victory, the Niners’ injury-ravaged protection repeatedly prevented Carolina from capitalizing.

Niners security Ji’Ayir Brown equipped the most important spark, arising with a pair of interceptions, together with one in the long run zone, and 5 tackles.

It is the primary time since Week 3 that the Niners have strung collectively a number of wins. They head to Cleveland to face the Browns on Sunday.

Stat to know: 49ers working again Christian McCaffrey insisted final week that going through his former group for the primary time since being traded in 2022 would not be a lot completely different than most different video games.

Statistically talking, that proved true. McCaffrey went over 100 scrimmage yards for the tenth time this season and had at the least 50 dashing and 50 receiving yards for the eighth time in 2025. It is the 14th time he has hit the 50/50 mark since becoming a member of the Niners, tied with Frank Gore for the second most in franchise historical past. McCaffrey wants three extra such video games to surpass the group’s single-season document he established in 2023.

McCaffrey completed with 142 scrimmage yards on 31 touches.

What to make of the QB efficiency: For no matter motive, Purdy continued to wrestle on “Monday Evening Soccer.” Towards the Panthers, he threw three first-half interceptions, the second time he has completed that in his profession, along with his different one coming in opposition to Baltimore on MNF in 2023. In 5 profession begins on Monday night time, he has thrown 11 interceptions.

Purdy rebounded a bit within the second half as coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up some straightforward throws on screens and brief passes. Purdy completed 23-of-32 for 193 yards with 1 landing and three picks. But it surely was nonetheless a regarding outing for Purdy after an encouraging return from his proper massive toe damage final week in opposition to Arizona.

Most shocking efficiency: The protection. Although the offense spent a lot of the primary half committing turnovers and near-turnovers, the Niners’ protection repeatedly answered the bell, permitting three factors off these takeaways. The Panthers managed solely 230 complete yards and 5.3 yards per play, together with a season low in yards (72) and first downs (three) within the first half.

For a unit lacking finish Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner, a lot has been made from the offense having to hold the load, however San Francisco’s protection delivered when wanted Monday night time. — Nick Wagoner

Subsequent sport: vs. Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Carolina had an opportunity to take the outright lead within the NFC South for the primary time this late within the season since 2017 with a victory, however quarterback Bryce Young could not carry the offense every week after throwing for a franchise-record 448 yards in an extra time win at Atlanta.

The loss left the Panthers half a sport behind Tampa Bay (6-5) within the division with their subsequent sport in opposition to the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams (8-2). The Panthers shut with two of three video games in opposition to the struggling Bucs however have the new Seattle Seahawks (8-3) in between them.

Tampa Bay, in the meantime, enters the simplest a part of its schedule in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints and Falcons.

The Panthers’ reliance on Younger must be regarding after the Niners grew to become the third consecutive group to close down Carolina’s working sport (69 yards on 13 carries). The Panthers may need to face the pass-happy Rams subsequent week with out Professional Bowl nook Jaycee Horn, who suffered a concussion late within the first half.

What to make of the QB efficiency: The primary half set the tone. Younger had a decrease passer score (25.0) than the 49ers’ Purdy (48.4), regardless that Purdy threw three interceptions. Consequently, the Panthers had their fewest yards (72) and first downs (three) in any half this season. Younger’s numbers had been barely higher within the second half, however his second interception with 6:27 remaining mainly sealed Carolina’s destiny and left him 0-2 on MNF and 0-3 in prime-time video games.

Greatest gap within the sport plan: Stopping former Panthers’ working again McCaffrey. You’d assume defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero would have loaded the protection to cease the participant Carolina traded to the 49ers halfway by the 2022 season, however McCaffrey had 142 scrimmage yards, together with a 12-yard landing run within the third quarter.

Stat to know: The Panthers had been the primary group to path at halftime (10-3) regardless of having three defensive interceptions because the 2021 Browns (Week 12 at Ravens). Earlier than Monday’s sport, Cleveland was the one group to do that over the previous 10 years. — David Newton

Subsequent sport: at Los Angeles Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)