McCaffrey, 49ers Defense Put Giants Away Early in Convincing Week 9 Victory

The San Francisco 49ers improved to 6–3 on the season after a convincing 34–24 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, showcasing a complete team performance on both sides of the ball. While the Giants struck first, San Francisco’s balance and efficiency ultimately proved too much, with Christian McCaffrey once again leading the way.

Before kickoff, head coach Kyle Shanahan praised his star running back, saying, “He makes our offense go.” McCaffrey backed that up in a big way, scoring twice, once through the air and once on the ground. It marked his 16th career game with both a rushing and receiving touchdown, an NFL record.

Giants rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart, fresh off being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, continued his impressive stretch of play. He was poised in the pocket, extending plays with his legs and showing maturity beyond his experience. Dart threw a couple of touchdowns, keeping the Giants in striking distance deep into the third quarter.

The 49ers’ offense once again showed why it’s among the most efficient units in football, recording their 21st drive of ten plays or more, the most in the NFL, which truly showed how much of a threat they are in the pass and the rush. Quarterback Mac Jones started strong with a touchdown on his opening drive but appeared visibly frustrated in the third quarter for some reason. 

The offensive line held up well, with Spencer Burford back in at left guard for Ben Bartch and performing admirably in his first start back from injury since week 2. Kyle Juszczyk was also a key factor, contributing both in pass protection and as a versatile offensive weapon in space. Brian Robinson Jr. made his presence felt with his first touchdown as a 49er, adding fresh energy to the backfield.

Coming into this matchup, McCaffrey ranked as the second-leading receiver in the entire NFL regardless of position, a testament to how central he’s become to the system. The head coach said earlier in the week, “He makes our offense go,” and that rang true again on Sunday.

McCaffrey consistently shredded the Giants’ depleted secondary, creating mismatches everywhere on the field. His ability to turn short catches into explosive gains remains unmatched, and his balance of power and precision kept New York’s defense guessing all afternoon.

Before the game, Giants pass-rusher Brian Burns, who leads the league with ten sacks (tied with Myles Garrett), summed it up perfectly:

“Christian is hard to guard — he’s like a robot,” Burns said.

San Francisco’s defense continues to evolve amidst all the injuries under Robert Saleh, who has drawn praise for his complex third-down disguises and in-game adjustments. Linebacker Dee Winters flashed again with a strong all-around performance. The game’s defensive highlight came in the final minutes, when Ji’Ayir Brown had an insane pass breakup on a deep ball that could’ve brought the Giants back within one score. His perfectly timed deflection sealed the win and underscored the 49ers’ defensive depth and awareness in crunch time.

Injuries continued to be a storyline for both teams. We saw Upton Stout leave briefly with a concussion before returning, while Mykel Williams was carted off late in the fourth quarter as well.

Special teams also played a major role. Eddy Piñeiro, the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October, nailed a 54-yard field goal, his sixth straight from beyond 50 yards this season, and made one other, improving to 19-for-19 on the year. The Giants’ Graham Gano, meanwhile, missed his only attempt in today’s game, a costly one following a red-zone turnover by the Niners that could’ve tightened the score.

The 49ers look like one of the league’s most complete teams, balancing explosive offense with defensive discipline. Shanahan’s group will head into next week with renewed confidence, while the Giants, who may have inherited the 49ers’ “injury bug”, will look to regroup and get healthy as they navigate a tough midseason stretch.