Published: November 10, 2024 at 11:00pm
Harnoor Tut
Columnist
Christian McCaffrey racked up 107 scrimmage yards in his first game of the 2024 season.
TAMPA, FL: In a season filled with adversity, the 49ers find themselves alive and kicking at the conclusion of Week 10. Coming into the game with a record of 4-4, there was a feeling that the 49ers' season was hanging on by a thread. Early season injuries and blown leads led to this, but Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have always felt good about their chances. With the Buccaneers reeling and the return of Christian McCaffrey - the reigning offensive player of the year - it looked to be straightforward for the 49ers. It was anything but.
After a slow start on offense, the 49ers cashed in via a 46-yard touchdown from Ricky Pearsall. Jake Moody extended the Niners' lead to 10-0, but the Bucs answered, with a field goal of their own to make the score 10-3 at the half. Rachaad White opened up the second half with a 9-yard receiving touchdown, followed by a Jake Moody field goal to make it 13-10 for the 49ers. It hardly foreshadowed the chaos that was to come.
Rookie RB Bucky Irving scored on a 12-yard rush to give the Bucs their first lead of the game. Following two unsuccessful drives from each team, including a Jake Moody missed field goal, the 49ers answered back with a spectacular connection between Brock Purdy and George Kittle to make the score 20-17 in favor of the 49ers. With the Bucs unable to score points on their ensuing drive, the 49ers drove down into Bucs territory but stalled, leading to a Jake Moody field goal attempt. He missed again.
With 3:12 left in the game, the Bucs looked to drive down and win. However, on a critical 4th down, with the game on the line, Baker Mayfield came up huge with a conversion to Rachaad White with Nick Bosa all over him. The Bucs continued to drive, but were stymied by the Niners' defense, which led to a Jake McLaughlin field goal to make it 20-20 with 41 seconds left in the game. The game was all but set for overtime. Brock Purdy drove the 49ers 39 yards to get into Buccaneers territory. Jake Moody proceeded to kick a 44-yard game-winning field goal to redeem himself.
The 49ers will now face their toughest stretch, with two of the next four games on the road at Green Bay and Buffalo, respectively, before facing division rival Rams at home. The 49ers will look to win out, which would almost guarantee them the NFC West title and a spot in the playoffs. They will then be looking to mount another Super Bowl charge after coming painfully close four times in the past five years. With the return of Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers will look to make another positive step in their hunt for the postseason.
