Despite already clinching a spot in the NFC playoffs, the 49ers had a couple of issues that seemed to put a ceiling on how far they could advance in the postseason.
The 49ers looked much better in those trouble spots in their 48-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Specifically, the 49ers had difficulties running the ball and, on defense, stopping the run.
They made huge strides in those areas with Christian McCaffrey gaining 117 yards on the ground, while the defense held Indianapolis’ star running back Jonathan Taylor to a lowly 2.9-yard average on 16 running attempts.
The 49ers (11-4) are right where they want to be with two games left in the 2025 NFL regular season, and they might be getting things in order to make some noise in the playoffs.
What do the people think? Let’s find out with his installment of 49ers Overreactions.,
Late MVP push for CMC if he finishes with 1,000+ rushing & 1,000+ receiving yards and the Niners get the 1 seed (@ckundich)
Overreaction? No.
McCaffrey has fallen off the pace for a second career 1,000-1,000 season. But he already has gone over the 1,000-yard mark rushing and he will break Roger Craig’s single-season franchise record for running backs with one more reception.
McCaffrey is showing his value to the team. He rarely played last season, and the 49ers finished 6-11. This season, he rarely comes off the field and the 49ers have 11 victories with two games remaining in the regular season.
Coincidence? Nope.
He is that valuable to the team.
McCaffrey probably is not in the NFL MVP conversation because that award seems to always go to a quarterback. Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye and Josh Allen are considered the front-runners.
While there is no denying just how important he is to the 49ers, the best chance McCaffrey has to earn some hardware is probably as the favorite for NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.
Running CMC repeatedly between the tackles in the last 8-10 min with a 2 score lead is playing with fire (@mfridb)
Overreaction? Yes.
A two-score lead can disappear in a hurry in the NFL, so it seems as if the safe play for the 49ers is to not play it too safe with McCaffrey.
It seems as if the more he plays, the healthier he gets. He did not play in the preseason, but he appeared on the injury report in the days leading up to the 49ers’ first game of the season.
Then, coming out of the bye week, McCaffrey showed up on the injury report with a tight back.
There have been a lot of remarkable comebacks around the NFL, and the 49ers view McCaffrey as their closer. That should not change.
Eric Kendricks should start over Tatum Bethune (@doconnell2000)
Overreaction? TBD.
The 49ers are in an OK spot at middle linebacker even while Fred Warner is sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Bethune generally has played well after entering the starting lineup. And he did well on Monday with 10 tackles as he returned to action after missing three games with a high-ankle sprain.
He had three missed tackles, according to PFF, but those missed tackles did not turn into big gains against Indianapolis.
It is a difficult call whether Kendricks should start over Bethune. But it’s clear that the 49ers saw a path for Kendricks to get into the starting lineup when they signed him to the practice squad last month.
Bethune aggravated his ankle injury on Monday night. If he is unable to play Sunday night against the Chicago Bears, that could provide Kendricks with the opening he needs to enter the starting lineup and remain there.
I don’t think this defense is as bad as people are thinking. They’re not amazing or a highlight reel talking point, but there have been improvements every week (@KelseyKruger2)
Overreaction? No.
You make a good point, and we’ll use the 49ers’ victory over the Colts as an indicator.
It did not look great in the first half. There was no reason Philip Rivers should have thrown for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.
The 49ers’ main focus was to prevent Taylor from wrecking their night. And they managed to do a good job on Taylor, who entered the week as the NFL’s leading rusher.
In the second half, the 49ers continued to slow down the Colts’ running game while also making it more difficult on Rivers to keep drives alive. The 49ers gave up 10 points in the second half, while scoring seven on defense with Dee Winters’ 74-yard interception return.
The 49ers recently held the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns to less than 10 points in back-to-back weeks. They are doing enough to help the team win five consecutive games and wrap up a spot in the NFC playoffs.
The 49ers are peaking at the right time and no one wants to play them in January! (@ReviewsDavid)
Overreaction? No and yes.
The 49ers appear to be peaking — at least offensively.
Brock Purdy is playing with surgical precision, McCaffrey is coming off his best game on the ground, and the offensive line is playing its best football of the season.
The 49ers control their own destiny in the hunt for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
It looks as if the 49ers have what it takes to beat any team in the postseason. But there are enough issues with the 49ers that it’s doubtful any of the other playoff teams will be shaking in their cleats at the thought of playing them.
It goes the other way, too. There is no reason for the 49ers to fear a matchup against any team they might face in the postseason.
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