San Francisco outstanding in NFL Week 7 win

It wasn’t Jones’s best night, but the 49ers for the first time all year didn’t need the backup QB to carry them. He completed 17-of-26 throws for 152 yards and one interception. His two biggest completions of the night went to Christian McCaffrey on third downs in the red zone. Both of them set up the 49ers with first-and-goal inside the 5, and McCaffrey capitalized with rushing scores on the next play both times.

It was a vintage McCaffrey performance on Sunday night. He had a season-high 129 rushing yards and his first two-touchdown game of the year on 24 carries. He also remained effective in the passing game with a team-high seven receptions for a team-high 72 yards.

San Francisco stayed atop the NFC West with another shorthanded victory. The 49ers keep putting together impressive results with so many key players out.

Bryce Huff and Tatum Bethune took over on the Falcons final drive which never reached midfield. The 49ers defense did a sensational job and Robert Saleh put together a masterclass. All that’s left for the 49ers to do is run out the final 1:31.

San Francisco had a tough time finding the end zone all game, but they got a touchdown when they badly needed it late in the fourth quarter to take a 20-10 lead over the Falcons. McCaffrey looked like he was stuffed on a first-and-goal run from the 4, but rookie left guard Connor Colby grabbed McCaffrey and dragged him across the goal line for a touchdown that may put Sunday’s game away for the 49ers. McCaffrey is up to 114 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 23 carries. Once again, the big play on the drive was a Mac Jones throw to McCaffrey. He found his running back on a third-and-13 to put the 49ers at the 4 and they scored one-play later. Very reminiscent of their first score.

Chase Lucas, the backup nickel corner, is playing a ton with rookie Upton Stout nursing an ankle injury. He came up with a massive pass breakup on a fourth-and-1 in 49ers territory to force a turnover on downs midway through the fourth quarter. That’s the second huge play Lucas has come up with for the 49ers defense this season. He also had the run stuff to win the Week 5 game vs. the Los Angeles Rams.

Mac Jones took a shot to Robinson on a third-and-3 from the 49ers’ 35-yard line. Robinson made a nice adjustment to the throw and got around the defender, but the throw slipped through his arms and a deep connection that would’ve put San Francisco in the red zone turned into a 49ers punt while they cling to a three-point lead. That’s a brutal turn in the game early in the fourth quarter.

McCaffrey’s season-high entering Sunday was 69 rushing yards, but a four-yard carry late in the third quarter vs. Atlanta put him at 101 for the evening, marking his first game with 100 rushing yards since Week 16 of the 2023 season when he had 103 in a 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. It’s clear George Kittle’s presence has helped open things up for the 49ers run game.

San Francisco’s defense stood tall after their offense couldn’t convert a third-and-short. Atlanta got near midfield, but a couple of penalties put them in a third-and-long where the 49ers generated just enough pressure to force an errant throw. The ensuing punt was a beauty that pinned the 49ers at their own 4 with 58 seconds left in the third quarter. The 49ers badly need points to give their defense some breathing room.

This is why the 49ers need to start putting up touchdowns instead of field goals. Atlanta’s offense is extremely explosive and they got behind superstar running back Bijan Robinson on their six-play, 48-yard scoring drive. Robinson punched it in by breaking multiple tackles on a nine-yard catch-and-run to make it a 13-10 49ers lead. The biggest issue for San Francisco on the series was over-aggressiveness from their young defense and putrid kick coverage that set up Atlanta at the 49ers 48 to start the drive. Losing on the special teams margins is another easy path to a San Francisco loss.

San Francisco would’ve loved a touchdown to open their second half. They settled for a 43-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro who is 17-for-17 to begin his career with the 49ers and give the club a 13-3 lead. The 49ers took 4:51 off the clock on their 11-play, 43-yard drive. They have to start converting some of their field goals into touchdowns.

Atlanta didn’t need long to get in scoring range after the 49ers went up by a touchdown. Michael Penix hit Drake London for 19 yards, then found Darnell Mooney for 39 yards after he got CB Darrell Luter Jr. turned around. Then disaster struck for Atlanta. Penix snapped the ball with 17 seconds left and was quickly pressured. He threw the ball away to avoid a sack, but there were no receivers in the area for Atlanta and Penix was flagged for intentional grounding. Since the clock stopped with 10 seconds left, the 10-second runoff for the penalty left Atlanta with no time to try a field goal from San Francisco’s 22. Instead of ending the half by cutting into the 49ers’ lead, the Falcons trail 10-3 and kick off to start the third quarter.

It looked like the 49ers drive ended when QB Mac Jones had the ball stripped on a third down. Left guard Connor Colby caught the fumble and ran forward toward the line of scrimmage. The ball was originally moved back out of field goal range because the fumble couldn’t be advanced inside of two minutes left in the half, but a review showed that it was a forward pass that touched a defender before the rookie seventh-round pick caught it. The ruling gave the 49ers Colby’s yards back and allowed Pineiro to drill a 55-yard field goal to put the 49ers ahead 10-3 late in the first half.

It didn’t take long for the 49ers to rule out their starting center. Brendel went down on the 49ers’ third series and was quickly eliminated from returning Sunday night with a hamstring injury.

It looked like Atlanta might have a chance to score and take the lead to end the first half, but defensive end Bryce Huff came up with a strip sack that Alfred Collins recovered at Atlanta’s 40. San Francisco now has a chance to score before the half and get the second-half kickoff.

Green was questionable with a neck injury entering Sunday’s game. He exited in the first half because of a toe issue and was replaced by Darrell Luter Jr.

San Francisco bounced back after turning the ball over on their second series and put together an impressive 13-play, 80-yard drive that McCaffrey capped with a one-yard touchdown run on first-and-goal. McCaffrey and QB Mac Jones had the biggest play of the drive the play before the touchdown, though. Jones was flushed out to his left on a third-and-4 and bought just enough time to find McCaffrey who slipped in behind a quartet of Falcons defenders. The completion gave the 49ers their first down at the 1 and they capitalized one play later to take a 7-3 lead.

Brendel stayed down after running back Brian Robinson was stuffed for a loss. He eventually walked off the field with trainers. Matt Hennessy is the backup center and in the game for Brendel. It’s his first action of the year.

Entering Sunday night, McCaffrey’s season-high for rushing yards in a game was 69, which he accomplished in Week 6 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Against Atlanta he’s at 66 yards on eight carries to begin the game. The return of tight end George Kittle seems to be having a significant impact on San Francisco’s rushing attack.

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh dialed up a well-timed blitz on a third-and-7 from the 49ers’ 48 and forced Falcons QB Michael Penix to sail a pass wide of any intended receiver near the sideline. The 49ers survived their first giveaway of the contest. They’ll have to be better on the margins if they’re going to win games when they’re so shorthanded on both sides of the ball.

Mac Jones hit wide receiver Jauan Jennings in the hands on a second-and-8. It resulted in disaster. The 49ers’ seven-play, 42-yard drive had taken them to Atlanta’s 23-yard line, but that’s where it ended. Jones’s pass hit Jennings’s hands and bounced into the air for an easy interception for Falcons LB Kaden Elliss. His return put Atlanta’s offense at their own 34. Every turnover is damaging, but this one is particularly brutal because the 49ers defense didn’t get a ton of rest after being on the field for 19 plays the previous drive.

Parker Romo drilled his 38-yard try after the Falcons offense was stopped on a third-and-4 to cap a 19-play, 70-yard drive.

San Francisco’s defense did well to close the door on a 19-play Atlanta drive and limit them to a field goal in the red zone. Okuayinonu got home thanks to a strong pass rush from the 49ers’ front four on a third-and-4 to end the series. The sack was Okuayinonu’s first of the season. We’d love to have a highlight for you, but the 49ers no longer feel the need to post highlights of their players on the internet.

Whatever was ailing Bethune didn’t keep him out long. He was back in the middle of the 49ers defense to start the second quarter.

San Francisco only touched the ball once in the first quarter thanks to a 15-play drive by the Falcons on their second possession. Their series took them 58 yards before the first quarter ended with Atlanta playing a first-and-10 from the 49ers’ 21. The 49ers pass rush is having a dreadful time affecting Falcons quarterback Michael Penix and the Atlanta offense has taken advantage.

Curtis Robinson is in the game as the Mike linebacker for Bethune, who was Fred Warner’s backup. The television broadcast noted Bethune didn’t receive any kind of treatment and was having water poured on the back of his neck while standing on the sideline.

San Francisco’s defense made a couple of nice adjustments without linebacker Fred Warner. They got pressure up the middle from defensive tackle Jordan Elliott on second-and-5, and then a pressure from linebacker Dee Winters on a blitz forced a quick throw that Marques Sigle flew up and stopped short on third-and-5.