Instant analysis of the shorthanded 49ers’ 20-10 win over the Falcons

SANTA CLARA Fred Warner cheered from a Levi s Stadium suite with his surgically repaired ankle elevated Down below the ers put on a victorious show for their fallen linebacker and a prime-time audience Sunday night s - win over the Atlanta Falcons delivered a much-needed morale boost While Christian McCaffrey supplied two rushing touchdowns and yards from scrimmage it was the ers defense that proved surprisingly stout a week after losing Warner to a dislocated and fractured ankle The ers - have yet to lose back-to-back games this season keeping them tied atop the NFC West with the Los Angeles Rams - Next up the ers return to the road for a Sunday visit to the Houston Texans who take a two-game win streak and a - record into Monday night s competition at Seattle - McCaffrey ran for over yards for the first time since carries yards and also delivered receiving yards as Jones made his third straight start and fifth this season in place of an injured Brock Purdy The ers defense may have lacked Warner not to mention Week victim Nick Bosa but it repeatedly came through with momentum-halting plays often via blitzes and several of those from Warner s replacement Tatum Bethune Midway through the fourth quarter the ers produced a fourth-down stop from their own -yard line Rather than give the ball to NFL scrimmage yard leader Bijan Robinson or attempt a game-tying field goal the Falcons saw Drake London drop a Michael Penix Jr pass against Chase Lucas tight coverage From there the ers chewed up the clock marched downfield and on third-and- Mac Jones delivered a -yard completion to McCaffery Then came the offense s grand finale a -yard touchdown run by McCaffrey who was pulled across the goal line by guard Connor Colby while center Matt Hennessy and guard Dominick Puni assisted With minutes to go the ers led by and unlike so often last season that margin would prove enough The ers owned a - lead before Robinson delivered the Falcons first touchdown with left in the third quarter Robinson scored on a -yard reception in which he slipped from Bryce Huff s grasp zoomed past a turned-around Dee Winters then barreled through Ji Ayir Brown and Bethune at the goal line McCaffrey artistically catapulted the ers into the lead before halftime After his -yard touchdown run up the middle put the ers ahead - he somersaulted into the north end zone stood up and stretched his arms wide as if taking a bow for his second rushing result in as a large number of games That capped a -play -yard march requiring three third-down conversions including a -yard completion to McCaffrey at the The ers defense went without an interception for the th consecutive meeting But it did create a key turnover Huff s strip sack and Alfred Collins fumble recovery led to Eddy Pineiro s -yard field goal for a - halftime lead Pineiro finished off the second half s opening drive with a -yard field goal pushing the lead to - and making him -of- on field-goal attempts since replacing Jake Moody in Week Tight end George Kittle back from a hamstring tear in the season opener had no catches on two targets but his blocking helped revive the ers dormant rushing attack After all the ers offense entered Sunday ranked first in passing yards per meeting and they were opposing the Falcons No -ranked pass defense coordinated by former ers linebacker and San Jose native Jeff Ulbrich Atlanta scored first on a -yard field goal from Parker Romo but that came after Huff and Sam Okuayinonu split a third-down sack to minimize a -play -minute drive Robinson finished with just rushing yards carries and receiving yards six catches Bethune had tackles for the second straight tournament The ers were poised to answer with their first points but the Falcons Kaden Ellis intercepted a Jones pass that Jauan Jennings bobbled at the Falcons Atlanta failed to capitalize on that interception or on a pass-interference penalty against Deommodore Lenoir who nearly had the ers first interception in passes On the ers ever-growing injury list cornerback Renardo Green toe and center Jake Brendel hamstring left with first-half injuries Brendel has handled almost all snaps since and Matt Hennessy replaced him on Sunday s third series Purdy could be in line to return next championship after missing his third straight start Sunday night and his fifth this season because of a toe injury He practiced in limited fashion last week and was upbeat Sunday after getting in a pregame workout on the training fields Neither group scored through the first quarter and the ers had only one possession which started with a sack allowed by Dominick Puni before McCaffrey and Brian Robinson keyed a drive that didn t get past the Falcons -yard line Warner made a surprise appearance in pregame warmups his ankle propped up on a scooter behind the end zone He waved to the crowd and was greeted by McCaffrey Brown linebackers coach Johnny Holland and referee Ron Torbert Several players wore Warner-themed T-shirts in warmups and linebackers Winters and Bethune wore Warner jerseys to the stadium Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis made a cameo at practice last week and was at Sunday night s challenge Rather than drill instructions Willis stated his message to exclusively remind the ers this is their time and he s as eager as anyone to see the results Subscribe to our ers HQ newsletter for meeting analysis scores and everything you want to know about your San Francisco ers