Christian McCaffrey scores first 49ers TD vs. Rams, but not in the way you’d expect

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The 49ers were hoping to get a player who could aid in both the running game and the passing game when they acquired Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers. This wasn’t exactly what they likely expected in the passing game.

McCaffrey picked up his first San Francisco touchdown on Sunday when he caught a lateral from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and aired out a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk to tie the matchup with the Rams at seven in the second quarter.

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The Next Gen Stats behind the throw make the play all the more impressive. The 37.2 air yards on the completion is the most by a running back in the NGS era, and it is the most air yards on a completion of any 49ers quarterback this season.

McCaffrey has done this before. Back in 2018, in a Week 15 clash with the Saints, McCaffrey took a handoff from Cam Newton and began to proceed to the right as if he were going to run through the line. His run drew the Saints defense up, and he flipped the ball up to tight end Chris Manhertz, who ran it in for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Panthers went on to lose the game 12-9.

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McCaffrey has provided a spark to San Francisco since arriving ahead of the team’s Week 7 matchup against the Chiefs. He rushed eight times for 38 yards with two catches for 24 yards against Kansas City in limited action after he was traded mid-week. At the end of the first half against the Rams, McCaffrey had the touchdown pass, seven rushes for 24 yards and four catches for 21 yards.

McCaffrey is already establishing himself as yet another versatile weapon for the 49ers’ offense. When Deebo Samuel returns to the starting offense, there will be a lot of weapons for which opposing defenses will need to account.

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