SANTA CLARA – The 49ers’ offense has been productive through the first five weeks of the 2023 NFL season, with every veteran player in the group involved.
Six different 49ers have caught touchdown passes and four different players have had outstanding results in San Francisco’s first five games – all victories. Christian McCaffrey, who leads the team with eight touchdowns, believes any contest could be a breakout game for someone on offense.
“You just never know,” McCaffrey said Thursday. “You just always have to pay attention to your P and Q. You don’t know which game will be right for you. You don’t know who it’s going to happen to.”
McCaffrey scored seven rushing touchdowns while Brock Purdy drove in two runs for a score. Deebo Samuel and Jordan Mason each recorded a rushing touchdown. George Kittle leads the team with three receiving touchdowns, and Brandon Aiyuk is right behind with two. McCaffrey, Samuel, Kyle Juszczyk and rookie Ronnie Bell each received a touchdown.
Perhaps the biggest reason the offense has scored at least 30 points in the last five meetings is the contribution each player makes when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands.
The entire 49ers offense has to do its part to make a game work, and that doesn’t just show up when the offensive linemen stand in front of the ball carrier and clear a path for him to the end zone. San Francisco wide receivers, running backs and tight ends all block defenders to help develop explosive plays.
“That’s why I think it’s so important to take pride in being able to block on your team’s downfield, being able to sell out fakes and things like that, because you know that every play has a purpose and every play can be the touchdown. McCaffrey said.
It seems like any member of the 49ers’ star-studded offense can be the playmaker whose number is called. In Week 1, Aiyuk caught all eight of his targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The following week, the McCaffrey-led Los Angeles Rams dominated the ground game with over 100 yards rushing and a touchdown. Both Purdy and Samuel also found their way into the end zone while on the ground.
With Aiyuk out due to injury in Week 3, it was Samuel’s show against the New York Giants with 129 yards receiving and a touchdown. McCaffrey dominated the 49ers’ matchup with the Arizona Cardinals the following week with 20 carries for 106 yards, three rushing touchdowns and an additional score.
Week 5 was Kittle’s time to shine, as the All-Pro tight end posted three receiving scores against the Dallas Cowboys. With everyone contributing, the 49ers offense appears unstoppable. When asked if this 49ers group was the most symbiotic offense he has ever been a part of, McCaffrey answered succinctly.
“That’s a good word,” McCaffrey said. “Yes, it is.”
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