- The 49ers' adjustments paid dividends: After early interceptions, head coach Kyle Shanahan went more conservative, leaning on the reliable Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle to move the chains.
- The Panthers turned away from their run game despite success: Carolina generated positive EPA on early-down runs yet chose to attack San Francisco mostly through the air.
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Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes
The San Francisco 49ers did just enough to stay in playoff position, winning 20-9 against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football.
Game Summary
According to the PFF noise-canceled score metric, the game unfolded about as expected, given how the two teams played on a down-to-down and drive-to-drive basis. The 49ers were much better at moving the ball on a night where both squads traded turnovers.
Passing Summary
Interceptions plagued both passing offenses, but the 49ers were at least productive outside of the turnovers. The Panthers, meanwhile, struggled to find much success through the air all night.
Receiving Summary
After his team's early interceptions, Kyle Shanahan reverted to a more conservative game plan, so it’s not surprising to see that tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey led the 49ers in targets.
Tetairoa McMillan clearly earned the most opportunity among the Panthers‘ receivers, as has so often been true this season. But despite his touchdown catch, it was an unfortunate game for him — headlined by a crucial drive-ending drop early in the game.
Rushing Summary
Both teams were fairly efficient on the ground, although the Panthers chose not to rely on their ground attack.
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