Mandy
The San Francisco 49ers continued their gritty style of play on Monday night, overcoming early errors to secure a 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Despite not delivering many polished performances this season, San Francisco once again found a way to prevail.
With this victory, the 49ers improved to 8-4 (7-2 in NFC play), while the Panthers dropped to 6-6 (4-3 vs NFC teams).
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, San Francisco’s playoff probability climbed from 86% to 91.3%, while Carolina’s postseason outlook slipped from 22.7% to 18%.
The game was headlined by a resilient defense and a standout night from former Panthers star Christian McCaffrey, who delivered once again for San Francisco.
San Francisco 49ers (8-4)
McCaffrey Dominates In First Matchup Against His Old Team
Although Christian McCaffrey insisted that facing Carolina wouldn’t carry extra emotion, his performance spoke volumes.
He crossed 100 scrimmage yards for the 10th time this season, reaching at least 50 rushing and 50 receiving yards for the eighth time.
Since joining the 49ers, he has recorded 14 games with the 50/50 mark — tying Frank Gore for the second most in franchise history. He is now three games away from surpassing the team record he set in 2023.
McCaffrey finished the night with 142 total yards on 31 touches, including a 12-yard touchdown run.
Purdy’s Monday Night Struggles Continue
Quarterback Brock Purdy once again had difficulty under the primetime lights. He threw three interceptions in the first half, the second such performance of his career — both coming on Monday Night Football.
Across five MNF starts, Purdy now has 11 interceptions.
While he settled down in the second half thanks to short passes and screen plays, his final stats — 23-of-32 for 193 yards, one touchdown, and three picks — make this another concerning outing after a promising game last week.
Defense Rises Despite Major Injuries
The most surprising element of the night was the injury-hit 49ers defense. Despite missing key stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, the unit held Carolina to only 230 total yards and 5.3 yards per play.
Safety Ji’Ayir Brown delivered a standout performance with two interceptions, including an end-zone takeaway, along with five tackles.
Carolina managed just 72 yards and three first downs in the first half — both season lows.
Carolina Panthers (6-6)
Panthers Miss Chance To Take NFC South Lead
Carolina had an opportunity to move into first place in the NFC South, but the offense could not repeat last week’s breakout performance.
Quarterback Bryce Young, who threw for a franchise-record 448 yards against Atlanta, struggled significantly.
Now half a game behind Tampa Bay (6-5), Carolina faces a tough schedule ahead: the Los Angeles Rams (8-2) next, followed by matchups with the hot Seattle Seahawks (8-3) before closing the season with two of three games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Young’s Inconsistent Play Hurts Panthers’ Momentum
Despite Purdy’s three turnovers, Bryce Young posted a worse first-half passer rating (25.0) than Purdy (48.4).
The Panthers’ offense hit season lows with 72 yards and three first downs in the first half.
Young’s numbers improved slightly after halftime, but a late second interception with 6:27 remaining ended Carolina’s comeback hopes. He is now 0-2 on Monday Night Football and 0-3 in primetime games.
Carolina Fails To Contain Former Star McCaffrey
One of the most glaring failures of the Panthers’ game plan was their inability to slow down Christian McCaffrey, the very player they traded in 2022.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was unable to neutralize him, allowing 142 scrimmage yards and a key touchdown.
The run game also disappeared for Carolina, posting only 69 yards on 13 carries — the third straight week opponents have shut it down.
Stat To Know
Carolina became the first team since the 2021 Cleveland Browns to trail at halftime despite recording three first-half defensive interceptions.
Cleveland was also the only team to accomplish this in the last decade.
The 49ers’ 20-9 victory over the Panthers showcased their ability to overcome turnovers and lean on a resilient defense and the consistent excellence of Christian McCaffrey.
While Brock Purdy’s Monday night struggles continued, San Francisco’s improved playoff odds underscore the importance of grinding out wins.
For Carolina, offensive inconsistency and an inability to stop McCaffrey prevented them from seizing the NFC South lead, raising concerns as they enter a tough stretch of their schedule.