Christian McCaffrey Delivers Blunt Message on 49ers’ Injury Woes
The San Francisco 49ers struggled during their 26-15 defeat to the Houston Texans on October 26 at NRG Stadium. Moreover, the injury bug continues to hit the Niners weekly, with three players suffering injuries.
Linebacker Dee Winters (knee), defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (ankle), and defensive end Sam Okuayinonu (ankle) are the latest players to deal with an injury. Nonetheless, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that these injuries don’t seem like long-term issues, per The Athletic.
While San Francisco can’t avoid the injury bug, running back Christian McCaffrey isn’t dwelling on it, saying it’s simply part of life in the NFL.
“It’s the NFL and everybody has a jersey for a reason, and everybody’s on the team for a reason,” McCaffrey said postgame. “They can help us win football games. Obviously, it sucks losing guys—just transparently. You never want to lose anyone, especially core players, but it’s a next-man-up mentality. When that happens, you have to be really detailed.”
George Kittle Calls Out 49ers Offense
Even with the defense dealing with injuries, George Kittle didn’t mince words, calling out the offense for failing to give the defensive group enough support.
“I thought our defense played really well,” Kittle told reporters after the loss. “They were flying around, hitting people. If you’re holding the team to four field goals and just two touchdowns, our offense has to score points.
“When you’re three and out repeatedly, we’re not really doing anything to help our young defense that’s adjusting and figuring out the way they want to play football. I think this is really on the offense. I was really proud of how our defense played today.”
It wasn’t the best afternoon for McCaffrey on the ground. The 49ers star recorded eight carries for 25 rushing yards while in the air he did have three receptions for 43 receiving yards. Nonetheless, more production is expected from the veteran.
Kyle Shanahan Gives Blunt Words After 49ers Loss
The offense struggled to find rhythm, going three-and-out on six of its nine possessions, including the first three drives. On defense, missed tackles and blown coverages on third downs proved costly throughout the game.
Playing without Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Bryce Huff only added to the team’s issues. San Francisco failed to sack Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and pressured him twice. While Kittle acknowledged the offense didn’t deliver, Shanahan was more direct when discussing the loss to Houston.
“They kicked our ass,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said (h/t Vic Tafur of The Athletic). “And we’ve got to take it like men and come back, hopefully a little pissed off, and play better next week than we did this week. … There’s not much to sugarcoat. I was real disappointed in how we looked for all four quarters.”
It’ll be worth watching whether the 49ers can regroup in Week 9 when they take on the New York Giants, a team still trying to recover from a defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
For New York, though, the real blow came when rookie running back Cam Skattebo was carted off midway through the second quarter of the 38-20 loss on October 26 after suffering a severe dislocation to his right ankle.
Daniel Jones Earns New Nickname From NFL After 8 Games Played
Daniel Jones’ rebirth in Indianapolis has caught the attention of the entire NFL and now, he’s got a nickname to prove it.
After the Indianapolis Colts’ Week 8 win over the Tennessee Titans, the NFL’s official X account shared a post highlighting Jones’ record-setting start, showing him as the leader for “Most Points in the First 8 Games in Franchise History.”
“Indiana Dimes,” the NFL captioned as a new moniker for Jones.
Through eight games, Jones has guided the Colts to a league-best 7–1 record, throwing for 2,062 yards and 13 touchdowns and adding four scores on the ground. His 80.4 QBR ranks second in the NFL, a stat that underscores his dominance in Shane Steichen’s high-octane offense.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jones now holds a 91.8 QBR when pressured, the highest ever recorded since the metric began in 2006. That number surpasses Josh Allen’s previous record of 83.5 from his 2024 MVP season.
“Daniel is playing with total command,” one Colts insider said. “He’s calm when things break down, he’s decisive, and he’s delivering strikes in big moments.”
That composure was on full display against the Titans. Jones completed 21 of 29 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball efficiently among his receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Jonathan Taylor, who also added a touchdown catch.
His play has not only lifted the Colts to the top of the AFC standings but has also revived his career narrative. Once labeled a draft disappointment for the New York Giants, Jones is now a symbol of resilience and adaptation.
Colts’ Offense Clicking Behind Jones and Taylor
Running back Jonathan Taylor has been the perfect partner in crime. Against Tennessee, Taylor needed just 12 carries to rush for 153 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching one from Jones.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Indianapolis plans to keep Jones beyond his current one-year deal.
“The Colts want this [Jones era] to continue beyond this year,” Rapoport reported. “They have interest in bringing Daniel Jones back on a long-term deal after the 2025 season.”
It’s a dramatic shift from where Jones stood just a year ago. After being released by the Giants and spending a short stint in Minnesota, few expected him to headline MVP conversations again. But with the Colts, Jones has rewritten his story and the scoreboard.
