INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Christian McCaffrey was the touchdown maker the 49ers desperately needed Sunday, first by pass, then by catch, and, finally, by run.
He delivered the fourth such hat trick in NFL history since 1970, and he showcased the versatility that prompted the 49ers’ trade for him Oct. 20 from Carolina.
McCaffrey’s theatrics, from those three scores to other sensational plays, keyed a 31-14, come-from-behind win over the host Los Angeles Rams.
Thus, the 49ers (4-4) snapped a two-game losing streak, and, in the process, they posted their eighth straight regular-season win over the Rams (3-4). The 49ers have their bye next weekend, then host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night, Nov. 13.
Complemented by the 49ers’ defense ability to reverse its third-down woes, the 49ers offense worked best with McCaffrey as its new centerpiece, all while former catalyst Deebo Samuel missed his first game of the season because of a hamstring injury.
Restricted to 22 snaps in last Sunday’s 49ers debut against the Chiefs, here are how McCaffrey’s scoring plays unfolded in his first full-throttle action:
Touchdown No. 1: The 49ers pulled even at 7 on his second career touchdown pass. After taking Jimmy Garoppolo’s backward pass to the right flat, McCaffrey did well not to overthrow an open Brandon Aiyuk for a 34-yard touchdown catch.
McCaffrey’s scoring strike was reminiscent of the 49ers’ Week 18 win here last season, when Deebo Samuel found Jauan Jennings for a 24-yard touchdown to pull the 49ers even at 17-17 in an eventual 27-24 overtime win. McCaffrey’s other touchdown throw was a 50-yarder in 2018 with Carolina. The only running back to have more touchdown passes over 30 yards since 1970: Walter Payton (three), according to the NFL.
Touchdown No. 2: McCaffrey gave the 49ers their first lead when, with 1:51 left until the fourth quarter, he broke loose down the right sideline and soared in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown catch, nabbing Jimmy third-and-3 lob.
It capped an 11-play, 88-yard, 7-minute drive that featured a barrage of chunk plays: Brandon AIyuk’s catches for 11, 11 and 8 yards; Jeff Wilson Jr.’s 12-yard gains on a run and a catch; and, of course, some by McCaffrey, who had a 14-yard catch to midfield before scoring his first official touchdown as a 49er.
Touchdown No. 3: Ater serving as a backfield decoy on Wilson’s third-down conversion run, McCaffrey raced 24 yards to the Rams’ 1-yard line, where he then plunged up the middle on the next snap for a 24-14 lead, with 12:07 to go
That pass-catch-run touchdown trifecta has been accomplished by only three others since 1970: Walter Payton (1979), David Patton (2001) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2005), according to ESPN.
McCaffrey’s stat line: 94 rushing yards (18 carries), 55 receiving yards (eight catches on nine targets), and, the 34-yard touchdown pass.
The 49ers tacked on an insurance touchdown courtesy of their tight ends: Ross Dwelley got free for a 56-yard catch to the Rams’ 14, and, after two McCaffrey runs, George Kittle made a 7-yard touchdown catch. Garoppolo rolled left, waited, waited, then lobbed a pass to the perfect spot for Kittle with 6:41 to go.
After Cooper Kupp’s 16-yard touchdown catch put the Rams up 14-7, the 49ers scored 24 unanswered points, starting with a 29-yard field goal by Robbie Gould a minute before halftime.
Defensively, the 49ers allowed the Rams to convert on six consecutive third-down plays before snapping that stretch midway through the third quarter, when Fred Warner’s blitz helped pressure Stafford into throwing away a third-and-6 pass. From then on, the 49ers defense reverted to its dominating ways last seen in the season’s first six games.
Garoppolo and the offense rallied, too. He got sacked three times before they mounted their second-half comeback. After completing 9-of-12 passes for 85 yards in the first half, Garoppolo completed 12-of-13 for 150 yards and two touchdowns after hafltime.
The 49ers’ offense had to fare, for the first time this season, not only without Samuel and fellow wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who both have hamstring injuries, but they also lacked fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who had six screws permanently inserted Monday into the ring finger he fractured last game.
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