The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 20 to 9 on Monday Night Football, with Christian McCaffrey racking up 142 total yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, while Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted Bryce Young twice in a defensive showcase at Levi’s Stadium.
Table of contents
Final Score and Key Stats
Final Score: 49ers 20, Panthers 9
The 49ers improved to 8 and 4 while the Panthers fell to 6 and 6 in a game that featured five total interceptions and a defensive battle that showcased both teams’ ability to create turnovers but struggle to capitalize on them.
Quarterback Performance
| Player | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Passer Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | SF | 23/32 | 193 | 1 | 3 | 58.5 |
| Bryce Young | CAR | 18/29 | 169 | 1 | 2 | N/A |
Purdy became the first player this season to throw three interceptions in the first half of a game, yet the 49ers still managed to secure the victory. Young completed just 62 percent of his passes and couldn’t take advantage of the turnover opportunities his defense created.
“Honestly, the decisions of going to those spots, I was fine with,” Purdy said postgame about his interceptions. “It’s just the execution of throwing a better ball. I feel like on really all of them, I needed to just drive the ball a little bit more. I kept it up in the air too long on multiple of them.”
Running Back Numbers
| Player | Team | Carries | Rush Yds | Rush TD | Receptions | Rec Yds | Rec TD | Total Scrimmage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey | SF | 24 | 89 | 1 | 7 | 53 | 0 | 142 |
| Chuba Hubbard | CAR | N/A | N/A | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | N/A |
McCaffrey dominated in his first game against his former team since being traded to San Francisco three years ago. The workhorse running back touched the ball on the first five plays of the game, setting the tone for a 49ers offense that leaned heavily on the ground game after Purdy’s rough first half.
“Obviously when you see familiar faces, it’s always good to see them before the game and after the game,” McCaffrey said. “But that’s a completely new team than when I was there. So it’s really just business once the ball was snapped.”
This marked McCaffrey’s 10th 100-yard game of the season, putting him just two shy of the franchise record he set in 2023.
Receiving Leaders
| Player | Team | Targets | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Kittle | SF | 9 | 6 | 78 | 0 | N/A |
| Jauan Jennings | SF | 5 | 5 | 41 | 1 | N/A |
| Tetairoa McMillan | CAR | N/A | N/A | 29 | 1 | 29 |
Kittle led the 49ers receiving corps with a quiet but effective performance, hauling in six catches for 78 yards. Jennings caught the game’s first touchdown on a 12-yard reception to cap the opening drive where McCaffrey carried the ball five consecutive times.
McMillan provided the Panthers’ lone offensive highlight with a 29-yard touchdown grab from Young in the fourth quarter, but Carolina’s failed two-point conversion attempt kept it a two-possession game.
Defensive Standouts
Interception Leaders
| Player | Team | Position | Interceptions | Total Tackles | Solo Tackles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ji’Ayir Brown | SF | Safety | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Jaycee Horn | CAR | CB | 2 | N/A | N/A |
Brown earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance, marking his first takeaways of the season and bringing his career total to five interceptions. His first pick came in the end zone on a first quarter throw from Young, erasing a golden opportunity for Carolina after they had first and goal from the one yard line.
The second interception proved even more crucial, coming midway through the fourth quarter with Carolina driving in San Francisco territory down 20 to 9. The turnover effectively ended any hopes of a Panthers comeback.
Horn matched Brown with two interceptions of his own in the first half, both coming off Purdy. However, his night ended prematurely when he was ruled out with a concussion before the second half began. The loss of Horn proved devastating for Carolina’s defense, as San Francisco committed zero turnovers in the second half without his presence in the secondary.
Quarter by Quarter Breakdown
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| 49ers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
First Quarter
The 49ers struck first with a methodical opening drive that featured five consecutive carries by McCaffrey. Purdy capped the 75-yard march with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jennings, giving San Francisco an early 7 to 0 advantage.
Carolina’s offense showed promise early but couldn’t convert. After Horn’s first interception gave the Panthers prime field position, Young made a critical mistake at the goal line. Facing first and goal from the one yard line, Young attempted a jump ball into traffic that Brown intercepted in the end zone.
“I like the call,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “It was an aggressive call, a play action that we had opportunities on. Unfortunately came out with an interception.”
Second Quarter
The defenses took over in the second quarter, with both teams trading field goals. Purdy threw his second and third interceptions of the half, both picked off by Horn. Despite the turnovers, the Panthers could only muster a field goal, sending the teams to halftime with San Francisco ahead 10 to 3.
The 49ers’ defense held firm despite Purdy’s struggles, allowing Carolina to score just three points off three first-half takeaways.
Second Half Surge
San Francisco adopted a conservative approach after halftime, relying heavily on McCaffrey and short passing to protect Purdy. The strategy paid dividends when McCaffrey broke free for a 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, extending the lead to 17 to 3.
Carolina responded with their best drive of the night, culminating in Young’s 29-yard touchdown strike to McMillan. However, a penalty moved the two-point conversion attempt to the one yard line, and the Panthers couldn’t convert, keeping the deficit at 11 points.
Critical Moments and Turning Points
The game’s decisive sequence came in the fourth quarter. Trailing 20 to 9, the Panthers drove into 49ers territory looking to cut the deficit to one possession. Young attempted to fit a pass into tight coverage over the middle, but Brown read the route perfectly for his second interception of the night.
That turnover with 6:33 remaining effectively sealed the victory for San Francisco. The 49ers added a 29-yard field goal from Matt Gay to push the lead back to 11 points at 20 to 9.
Team Statistics Comparison
| Category | Panthers | 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 230 | N/A |
| First Downs | N/A | N/A |
| Third Down Conversions | 1/7 (14.3%) | N/A |
| Turnovers | 2 | 3 |
| Time of Possession | N/A | N/A |
The Panthers held a statistical advantage in turnovers but couldn’t capitalize, converting Carolina’s three takeaways into just three points. Meanwhile, the 49ers’ defense limited Carolina to one conversion on seven third down attempts, their best defensive showing on third down since holding Miami to zero for seven in Week 13 of the 2022 season.
Injury Report
Carolina suffered significant losses throughout the game. Horn and linebacker Claudin Cherelus both left in the first half with concussions and didn’t return. Guard Chandler Zavala (calf) and cornerback Corey Thornton (ankle) exited in the second half.
For San Francisco, defensive end Sam Okuayinonu left the second half with an ankle injury and didn’t return.
Playoff Implications and Context
The victory kept the 49ers firmly in playoff contention at 8 and 4, holding the seventh seed in the NFC heading into the stretch run. For Carolina, the loss dropped them to 6 and 6, keeping them behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6 and 5) in the NFC South standings and missing a chance to take sole possession of first place in the division.
Young came into the game riding high after throwing for a franchise record 448 yards in Carolina’s previous win against Atlanta, but couldn’t replicate that success against San Francisco’s defense.
McCaffrey’s Reunion Game
McCaffrey’s performance against his former team showcased why the 49ers made the blockbuster trade in October 2022. The Stanford product has transformed San Francisco’s offense since his arrival, and this game marked his continued dominance despite being 29 years old and handling a massive workload.
He entered the game with 267 touches in 11 games and received nine touches on the opening drive alone. His 31 total touches (24 carries plus seven receptions) represented business as usual for the 49ers’ offensive centerpiece.
“Just lack of execution,” Young said when asked about the loss. “Couple of plays I’d like to have back, some stuff we could do better. Not what we wanted. We didn’t do good enough and I take ownership of that.”
The Purdy Paradox
Despite throwing three interceptions in the first half, Purdy and the 49ers still emerged victorious, highlighting the team’s defensive resilience and ability to win ugly games. Purdy’s Monday Night Football struggles continued, as he has historically underperformed in primetime matchups.
The 49ers went conservative in the second half after Purdy’s rough start, relying mostly on McCaffrey and short passes. Head coach Kyle Shanahan showed trust in his defense to hold while managing the game offensively.
Postgame Tensions
The frustration from the loss boiled over late in the game when Carolina safety Tre’Von Moehrig hit 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings in the groin after a run play. Jennings responded with a punch to Moehrig’s helmet after the game ended.
“I was just responding to some childish behavior,” Jennings said.
Looking Ahead
The Panthers returned home to host the Los Angeles Rams the following Sunday, needing to bounce back quickly to stay in the NFC South race. The 49ers, meanwhile, looked to build momentum in their playoff push as they navigated the final stretch of the regular season.
For those tracking carolina panthers vs 49ers match player stats throughout the season, this game represented a critical data point in both teams’ playoff aspirations and individual player performances heading into the home stretch.
Final Thoughts
This Monday Night Football clash between the Panthers and 49ers delivered a defensive slugfest that defied typical offensive explosion expectations. The game belonged to the defenders, particularly Brown and Horn, who combined for four interceptions. Yet it was the 49ers’ ability to minimize damage from turnovers and McCaffrey’s workload that ultimately determined the outcome.
San Francisco’s victory exemplified winning football in its purest form: dominate the line of scrimmage, protect the ball in the second half, and let your defense close games. Carolina’s inability to convert turnovers into touchdowns proved fatal, as those missed opportunities in the red zone created an insurmountable deficit despite staying competitive throughout.
The carolina panthers vs 49ers match player stats from November 24, 2025, will be remembered for defensive dominance, McCaffrey’s homecoming performance, and a young Panthers team learning the harsh lessons of playoff football where every possession matters.
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