SANTA CLARA, Claif. — Before the 49ers went on a much-needed bye, Christian McCaffrey served notice that he could jump-start a sagging offense.
Next up is seeing if McCaffrey’s presence in the 49ers’ backfield can do the same for Deebo Samuel.
A revelation a year ago and the prime mover and shaker for a 49ers team that made it to the NFC Championship Game, Deebo at the moment isn’t even the NFL’s most productive Samuel.
That distinction belongs to Washington wide receiver Curtis Samuel (no relation), who has 577 yards from scrimmage (45 receptions for 455 yards, 18 rushes for 122 yards) to 525 yards for Deebo Samuel (32 receptions for 387 yards, 24 rushes for 138 yards).
After a 21-play cameo against the Kansas City Chiefs, coach Kyle Shanahan unleashed McCaffrey in all his glory against the Los Angeles Rams. His impact was a stunning and immediate tour de force — 18 rushes for 94 yards and a touchdown, eight receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown and even a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk.
It was the kind of performance the 49ers have been waiting on from Samuel after signing him to a three-year contract extension worth a maximum of $73.5 million. Samuel, out with a hamstring strain, watched McCaffrey work his magic from the sideline against the Rams.
Samuel was asked Thursday what stood out to him about McCaffrey.
“How he is with the ball in his hands and how good he is at making people miss,” Samuel said. “I wasn’t too much surprised. You turn on the tape and he can do a lot of crazy things.”
Shanahan isn’t complaining about Samuel, mind you, nor is general manager John Lynch. But after catching 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 59 carries for 365 yards and eight scores last season, Samuel has been a marked man by opposing defenses.
In theory, that all changes Sunday night against the Los Angeles Chargers on national television. Offensive play-callers both real and imagined can hardly wait to see how Shanahan deploys two weapons who defy conventional prototypes.
McCaffrey is a running back who runs routes and catches the ball like a polished receiver, whether in the slot, split wide or out of the backfield. Samuel is a brutish receiver who carried the load in the backfield by necessity in the second half of the season a year ago.
Shanahan is quick to point out he’s responsible for having Jimmy Garoppolo distribute the ball to five eligible players and not just two. There’s still tight end George Kittle, Aiyuk, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, third receiver Jauan Jennings and the expected return of running back Elijah Mitchell.
During a recent appearance on KNBR, former 49ers quarterback Steve Young called the options “nirvana,” comparing it to the 1994 championship season when skill position players at his disposal included Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Ricky Watters, Brent Jones and William Floyd.
There isn’t another duo like McCaffrey and Samuel available to any other play-caller and designer in the NFL.
“They’re different positions, but they can both play the other one’s position, so it just makes it a lot easier to distribute the field,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like Deebo is doing this for him or he’s doing that for Deebo. They both do it for everybody including one another and themselves. It just makes a little bit more space and it makes a little bit more of a threat for whoever gets the ball in their hands.”
McCaffrey, like Shanahan, stressed the offensive group as a whole but has always been impressed by Samuel.
“The other day I was in the huddle just kind of smiling and looking around, thinking there are some really good players in this huddle,” McCaffrey said. “Deebo, you can line him up anywhere and he’s elite anywhere you put him. It puts a lot of stress on the defense. I’m just lucky and happy to suit up on the same team.”
For all their potential firepower, even after a 31-14 win over the Rams, the 49ers need to be better on offense. They’re just 12th in total offense (356.6), 11th in passing (237.1),15th in rushing (119.5) and 19th in scoring (22.0).
Considering the way the offensive line has held up, the 49ers with the ball have underachieved through a 4-4 start as Shanahan has found it difficult to get Samuel into the game-breaking situations that happened almost weekly in 2021.
Other than a 51-yard run in Week 2 against Seattle, Samuel has been held in check on the ground with just 33 yards on 14 carries over his last five games. He has a 57-yard reception, but Samuel’s yards per catch is 12.2 as opposed to 18.1 in 2021.
McCaffrey’s presence should give Samuel more chances against fewer defenders which would lead to more big plays.
Richard Sherman, the former 49ers cornerback and NFL Amazon Prime analyst, laid out the dilemma facing defenses last week on the air.
“They’ve got a player like Deebo Samuel. He can play running back, he can play receiver, he can go in motion and do all those things,” Sherman said. “You get another player like Christian McCaffrey who can also do the exact same thing. You can get in an empty set and be literally dealing with five receivers and still have linebackers on the field.
“I think you’re getting in the world of tweeners and you have to be prepared on both sides. If you don’t have the bodies to match up to the offensive positions, then you’re in trouble.”
Greg Cosell, an analyst and producer at NFL Films, said McCaffrey and Samuel are a unique tandem.
“Teams have weapons but not two guys who can be used in multiple ways quite like that,” Cosell said on KNBR. “Basically, both guys can line up anywhere in the formation and be a factor.”
The Chargers have given up their share of big plays this season, and coach Brandon Staley knows what he’s up against in the 49ers with McCaffrey and Samuel.
“When they can create those isolations where it’s one back versus a person, those are the ones that go a long way,” Staley said.
Adding McCaffrey to the mix complicates matters for the defense.
“When Christian is in the equation, where’s he going to line up?” 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner said. “What are they going to do with him? It’s just that extra element to keep defenses off-balance.”
The 49ers were pretty good two weeks ago without Samuel and last season were pretty good without McCaffrey.
We saw what McCaffrey could do two weeks ago. It’s Samuel’s turn to rejoin the party as the 49ers look to go from good to great.
