San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey played his second game of the season on Sunday after a prolonged battle with Achilles tendinitis. He rushed for 79 yards on 19 carries against the Seattle Seahawks, surpassing 100 scrimmage yards for the second consecutive week. However, McCaffrey has yet to find the end zone since his return and hasn’t fully displayed the explosive, game-changing ability fans have come to expect.
“I can be a lot better,” McCaffrey told reporters after the game. “I feel like I can be a lot better. You know, to miss time with an injury is always tough. It’s not an excuse. I know I can be a lot better. I feel it. It’s coming. I just gotta get rolling.”
As for his recovery, McCaffrey added, “Physically, I feel good. You know, it’s just getting everything back to normal.”
On Monday afternoon, head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters via a conference call and discussed his star running back’s performance since returning to the lineup.
“I think Christian’s doing a good job,” Shanahan said. “I didn’t think he had any opportunity for some big ones (runs). They kept him contained pretty good, especially in their two shell defenses, so there might have been one run he left a little bit out there. But I don’t think I’ve ever said that there isn’t a run that you left a little bit out there in a game.”
Shanahan emphasized, “But I think Christian’s doing a good job.”
Through two games this season, McCaffrey has accumulated 118 rushing yards on 32 carries and 10 receptions for 95 yards. The 49ers will look to their star running back to continue building momentum in a Week 12 showdown against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.