Kyle Shanahan should know better. After injuries to Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams earlier this season, the last thing the San Francisco 49ers should be doing is exposing them to further danger. But even while his juggernaut team pasted the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-3 on Sunday — earning the unofficial opportunity to call off the (defensive) dogs — Shanahan couldn’t help himself.
With San Francisco holding a 31-point lead over Jacksonville in the closing moments, Shanahan elected to give McCaffrey four straight touches from goal to go. Why? He wanted to extend the superstar running back’s incredible touchdown streak to an unfathomable 18 games.
Shanahan and McCaffrey fell short, of course, with the runner’s streak officially ending. To say this decision was silly and baffling for the 49ers would be an understatement:
49ers trying to keep Christian McCaffrey's touchdown streak alive.
Going for it on 4th and goal up 31 points.
(Via: NFL, FOX)pic.twitter.com/PcQm6jYgcf
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) November 12, 2023
Here is how McCaffrey described his falling short after the game:
CMC has jokes 🤣 pic.twitter.com/1LplRMoA13
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 12, 2023
Yeah, maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t have risked the health of my best player in a winning blowout because I wanted to maintain an arbitrary streak that ultimately doesn’t mean much to my team’s primary goal. Even in a top-heavy NFC, health might be the only thing that keeps San Francisco from finally reaching the NFL’s highest summit and capturing the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship in nearly three decades.
Shanahan and the 49ers should count themselves lucky that they left this sequence with McCaffrey’s streak concluding being the worst news.
This was how Twitter reacted to McCaffrey's touchdown streak finally ending
Bad karma for 9ers https://t.co/tjNVaeFACW
— Vikings Central (@VikesCentral) November 12, 2023
49ers, who have infamously had their Super Bowl hopes hurt by injuries for 5 years in a row, have Christian McCaffrey and the starting offense in up 31 points to get CMC a touchdown to keep his streak alive.
— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) November 12, 2023
When you finally decided to bet on Christian McCaffrey to score a touchdown… pic.twitter.com/IW7bsImcuC
— SportsBettingDime (@SBD) November 12, 2023
I get chasing history and stuff — but buddy putting unnecessary carries on Christian McCaffrey feels like a bad idea
— Kyle, a Madson (@KyleAMadson) November 12, 2023
why is Christian McCaffrey still playing? it’s 34-4 with 5 min left.
— Chris Brockman🎙️ (@chrisbrockman) November 12, 2023
In before Kyle Shanahan tells us after the game that he wasn't thinking about Christian McCaffrey's record but wished someone would've told him. #49ers
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) November 12, 2023
Kyle Shannahan trying to play the Brett Favre to Christian McCaffrey’s Michael Strahan 😂
— AntiStanMan (parody) (@Antistanman2k23) November 12, 2023
The Christian McCaffrey TD streak ends at 17 games
Stays tied for 1st in NFL history pic.twitter.com/9zVf2gWyGn
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) November 12, 2023
I knew Sam Darnold would ruin Christian McCaffrey’s chance at history. 😊#49wz
— Marc Adams (@49ersCamelot) November 12, 2023
POV: you bet on Christian McCaffrey Anytime TD for the first time this season: pic.twitter.com/uyQHboYaGj
— Dimers.com (@DimersCom) November 12, 2023
Pour one out for the Christian McCaffrey 17 game touchdown streak pic.twitter.com/5k9m8OB9Lf
— Mitch Carl ☕️ 🍩 (@DFSnDONUTS) November 12, 2023
Christian McCaffrey’s TD streak pic.twitter.com/wPog7E7Gzs
— Kevin Thang (@Skip2MyJays) November 12, 2023
