#christian-mccaffrey

#christian-mccaffrey

You can stare at the game tape until your retinas detach. You can break down the metrics until you're hallucinating EPA. None of that will tell you a single useful thing going into this NFC Divisional Round. That is the specific, high-grade torment of this Saturday's rubber match between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. We are well past the point of X's and O's here, folks. We have waded deep into the murky waters of psychological warfare.

Chances are pretty good it will happen again Sunday for McCaffrey. In the 49ers' 26-8 win over Cleveland before the bye, McCaffrey opened the scoring with a 1-yard run. It was his 13th touchdown of the season. Including the playoffs, McCaffrey has played 50 games for the 49ers and scored 52 touchdowns. Nobody in franchise history not even all-time NFL touchdown leader Jerry Rice with 208 has averaged more than a touchdown per game in their first 50 games.

The Atlanta Falcons knew they'd have to stop Christian McCaffrey, and they knew they'd need to attack a vulnerable San Francisco linebacker corps and secondary. While there were moments, and even long stretches where the defense held up despite the loss of Divine Deablo, they didn't do any of that on a consistent basis. They lost by failing to do what they knew must be done.