The San Francisco 49ers defended their home field in primetime, earning a 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers. San Francisco controlled the flow of the game from the opening drive and secured all three phases to close out their third win in the last four weeks. Here are five takeaways from the Week 12 win:
Facing the Panthers for the first time since being traded in 2022, RB Christian McCaffrey delivered a statement performance. The All-Pro running back powered San Francisco's offense on the ground, finishing with 89 rushing yards, and a touchdown. His third-quarter scoring drive helped put the 49ers ahead for good, punching in a 12-yard touchdown. McCaffrey is one of just three players in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season, joining Marshall Faulk (1999) and Roger Craig (1985) after accomplishing the feat in 2019. With 796 rushing yards and 785 receiving yards following Week 12, he's on pace to potentially do it again this season.