Johann Hunt
Monday night at Levi’s Stadium turned into a revenge game of sorts, though Christian McCaffrey would probably never call it that. The 49ers running back faced his old squad for the first time since Carolina shipped him to San Francisco three years ago, and he made sure to remind them exactly what they gave away.
McCaffrey Returns Home To Haunt His Former Team
McCaffrey dominated with 142 total yards from scrimmage, carrying the ball 24 times for 89 rushing yards while adding seven catches for 53 receiving yards and a critical touchdown. The game started with a statement. Kyle Shanahan dialed up McCaffrey’s number on the first five plays of the contest, setting an aggressive tone that led to the first opening-drive touchdown the Panthers had surrendered all season.
Though Jauan Jennings caught the actual scoring pass from Brock Purdy, everyone in the building knew who was orchestrating the drive. McCaffrey’s performance became even more impressive when you consider the 49ers needed every single yard after Purdy’s disastrous first half.
Purdy’s Monday Night Struggles Continue
If there’s one night Brock Purdy would love to erase from the calendar, it’s Monday. The young quarterback continued his bewildering pattern of poor performances under the lights, throwing three interceptions in the first half alone. All three picks came on deep passes, making him the first QB since Nick Mullens in 2023 to throw three interceptions on throws of 20-plus air yards in a single game.
Carolina’s Jaycee Horn grabbed two of those wayward throws, and the Panthers had multiple golden opportunities to put the game away early. But here’s where the story gets wild: despite intercepting Purdy three times before halftime, Carolina managed just three measly points from those turnovers. The most glaring miss came when the Panthers got the ball at San Francisco’s 16-yard line and somehow walked away with nothing after Bryce Young projected an interception in the end zone to Ji’Ayir Brown.
Purdy finished 23-of-32 for just 193 yards with one touchdown and those three picks, posting a dismal 58.5 passer rating. Now, 30 percent of his career interceptions have occurred on Monday nights, and he’s got just seven touchdowns against ten interceptions in prime time. Despite Kyle Shanahan’s halftime insistence that his quarterback was making the right decisions, it was clear Purdy was off his game.
Defense Saves The Day Despite Missing Warner
The real heroes wore defensive jerseys. Without their leader, Fred Warner, who watched from a luxury suite while sidelined for the season, San Francisco’s defense absolutely smothered Carolina’s offense. They held the Panthers to just 230 yards and a pathetic 1-for-7 on third down conversions. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown had a career night with two interceptions of his own, including a backbreaking pick in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory.
The win moves San Francisco to 8–4, keeping them firmly in playoff position as the seventh seed in the NFC. Carolina falls to 6–6, still chasing Tampa Bay in the NFC South despite Bryce Young throwing for just 169 yards. The 49ers head to Cleveland next, while the Panthers welcome the Rams to town.