Three picks in the first half keep it close
The Panthers went into the half trailing 10-3, despite a defensive performance that was creditable.
The Panthers picked 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy off three times in the first half, with Jaycee Horn getting two and Mike Jackson one. Horn's were open-field jobs, while Jackson leaped high in the air to steal a touchdown from Ricky Pearsall in the middle of the end zone.
That enabled the Panthers to stay close after a half when the offense couldn't get in gear.
Three of their five offensive possessions ended in three-and-outs, and they managed just 19 plays and 72 yards in the first half (to San Francisco's 39 for 180). In fact, McCaffrey had 17 touches in the first half for 83 yards himself.
When Horn's first interception gave them the gift of field position, they weren't able to do anything with it.
After Young scrambled to the 1, he was picked off in the end zone by safety Ji'Ayir Brown.
Horn's second pick of the half set up a 25-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald, getting the Panthers on the board.