49ers run over Falcons: Rapid reactions

• Tatum Bethune is injured, and Curtis Robinson is in for him. This team can't catch a break.
• No pass rush. And it's showing. This drive is lasting forever—15 plays and over eight and a half minutes so far. It's the end of the first quarter, and the 49ers have had the ball only once.
• Sam Okuayinonu gets the sack, and the Falcons have to settle for a field goal.
• Christian McCaffrey is running the ball well, too.
• What's wrong with Jauan Jennings lately? The ball just went off his hands and was intercepted. And that was a nice drive, too.

• And now Renardo Green is hurt. At least Bethune is back.
• That did not look like pass interference on Deommodore Lenior.

• Nick Zakelj is in the game at left guard. I'm not sure if Connor Colby is injured or if they're replacing him for now. Colby allowed a sack in the first quarter.
• Actually, now Colby is back in there.
• Jake Brendel is out with an injury. It will be interesting to see how the offensive line plays without him.
• Great play by Jones to buy time and hit McCaffrey, who took the ball down to the one-yard line.
• McCaffrey gets it in, and the 49ers take the lead.

• Huge sack by Bryce Huff leads to a fumble recovery by Alfred Collins.

• The offensive line has dominated in the run game. But they've been mostly bad in pass protection in the first half.
• Colby has more catches in the first half than Kittle. I did not have that on my bingo card.

• Eddy Piñeiro is good again. He's been perfect on field goal attempts since joining the 49ers. This one was good from 55.
• Darrell Luter, Jr. is getting cooked on this drive.
• Huff with another big play that forces intentional grounding. The 49ers have a 10-3 lead at the half.
• Nice catch and run by Skyy Moore.
• Bad kick coverage has made its appearance.
• Too many missed tackles on that drive, and the Falcons move to within a field goal.
• What a pathetic effort on that 3rd and 1.
• Is this where it starts to fall apart for the 49ers' undermanned defense?
• Chase Lucas is a playmaker.

• Nice job by the defense forcing a punt. The bad news: the offense now has the ball at the 2-yard line.
• Starting the 4th quarter, the offense has to put together a scoring drive here. This defense can only hold on for so long.
• What a horrible drop by Demarcus Robinson. That could end up costing the 49ers the game.

• Malik Turner has made at least two big plays on special teams.
• Malik Mustapha is punishing people in run defense.

• Will the 49ers ever intercept another pass? If so, now would be a good time.
• Huge play by Lucas on 4th and 1. And he almost picked off that pass.

• Now Jennings is missing blocks. He needs to get his head on straight.
• Great throw by Jones to McCaffrey. The 49ers have 1st and goal. The way Jones looked off the defender and then threw behind him was impressive.

• What a game by McCaffrey. He's looked like the 2023 version of himself. And a great job by the offensive line. They refused to be stopped on that touchdown.

• The defense made a big play to give the offense the ball, and the offense rewarded them for it. That's great complementary football.
• Rookie LB Nick Martin just recorded his first NFL tackle.
• Huff was being held and still got to the QB.
• The 49ers' pass rush is starting to punish Michael Penix.
• Lenoir with another penalty. Unreal!
• The defense holds, thanks to a relentless pass rush. And the 49ers will win this one.
• This was like the old 49ers—a dominant run game and a great defensive performance. Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh were brilliant tonight.
• McCaffrey had over 200 yards from scrimmage. He was incredible!
• Bethune had a great game, especially in his first game leading the defense without Warner.

San Francisco improves to 5-2 and will spend at least another week in first place. Next up is a trip to Houston to take on DeMeco Ryans' Texans. The 49ers hope to get Purdy and Pearsall back, which would be a huge boost.