The wait is finally over for the San Francisco 49ers as Christian McCaffrey, the franchise’s star running back, returns to the lineup. While this may have fans ecstatic, former Super Bowl champion Greg Jennings isn’t convinced it’ll be enough for San Francisco to dominate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Everyone knows about McCaffrey’s standout 2023 season. He led the NFL in yards from scrimmage and helped power head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. However, Jennings expressed doubts on Fox Sports’ “First Things First” and the impact McCaffrey’s return could have on this critical matchup.
Greg Jennings Voices Skepticism Over Christian McCaffrey’s Immediate Impact
Jennings’ skepticism comes as the 49ers have struggled this season, going 4-4 in McCaffrey’s absence due to Achilles tendinitis. This starkly contrasts their impressive 14-5 record in their run to the Super Bowl a year ago.
However, Jennings emphasized the 49ers’ need to regain consistency in the red zone to leverage McCaffrey’s talents.
“This is when teams that understand how to win start to separate themselves,” he stated, adding that San Francisco struggles in the red zone.
“You have to be a fully executed team. And they just haven’t been able to do that because they can’t run all the plays. They can’t inner swap, Deebo Samuel as well as Christian McCaffrey, the way we’ve seen them do in the past. I expect them to be better. I don’t expect them to dominate the Bucs, however,” Jennings continued.
“This is when the teams who understand how to win start to separate themselves.”@GregJennings says the 49ers need to start winning NOW: pic.twitter.com/aj7AIsy8h0
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) November 7, 2024
The 49ers’ faithful hope McCaffrey’s return is just the spark needed for a second-half resurgence, particularly given that San Francisco has lost only five games from November to January over the past four seasons.
Shanahan is optimistic, praising McCaffrey’s performance in his first week back.
“He’s been awesome these last two days,” Shanahan said in a radio interview with KNBR. He’s positive about his RB’s strong recovery and ability to jump back into action against Tampa Bay.
Quarterback Brock Purdy is also excited about McCaffrey’s return. “All of us coming off the bye week… and you get [McCaffrey] next to you in the backfield, it’s been awesome,” Purdy commented, underscoring the boost in morale.
McCaffrey’s 798 touches over the past two seasons attest to his impact and skill, but it remains to be seen if his return will be enough to overcome Tampa Bay. Still, with his determination and history of high-impact plays, fans hope he can shift the 49ers’ fortunes as they push toward the playoffs.