The San Francisco 49ers enter the Bye with a 5-3 record following their 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. After winning five-straight games to start the season, the team now finds itself on a three-game slide and will use the time off to gear up for an important second half of the season.
"My bottom line to them was we've got to get better in every aspect," head coach Kyle Shanahan said in his postgame press conference. "The things that disappointed me (Sunday) were some of the fundamentals of just throwing and catching, tackling and some of those penalties that cost us."
The Week 8 matchup, however, was not without its bright spots. NFL and franchise records were made by some of the cornerstones of San Francisco's offensive unit. Running back Christian McCaffrey matched Hall of Famer Lenny Moore's touchdown scoring streak of 17-straight games (including the postseason) with one-more-touchdowns scored, and Pro Bowler George Kittle overtook Vernon Davis to become the 49ers tight end with the most reception yards in franchise history.
San Francisco had a trio of top Pro Football Focus top performers from Sunday afternoon that included Kittle, McCaffrey and defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell, all of whom gave the team opportunities to be competitive on Sunday.
Here's the breakdown of the weekly grades from Week 8:
Top Offensive Performers: TE George Kittle and RB Christian McCaffrey
Kittle is a top offensive performer for San Francisco in back-to-back weeks. His nine catches for 149 yards against the Bengals earned him an 83.9 overall mark, and that performance penned his name to the 49ers history books. In addition to becoming the tight end with the most receiving yards in franchise history, Kittle also moved into the No. 6 spot on the 49ers all-time receiving yards list.
McCaffrey also came away with a top offensive mark, netting an 82.9 overall grade for his 57 snaps of work. He amassed 12 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown on the ground in addition to his six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown through the air. McCaffrey's Week 8 grade is his second-highest single-week PFF of the 2023 season.
Top Defensive Performer: DL Clelin Ferrell
Ferrell was at the top of the 49ers list of defenders on Sunday. The fifth-year pro had five pressures, including 0.5 sacks and a QB hit, in addition to his five total tackles and forced fumble on the day, earning him an 89.4 overall grade. His Week 8 grade is his best statistical performance since Week 14 of the 2021 season.
