49ers vs. Panthers: How Carolina spoils Week 5 for San Francisco

The 49ers are notable favorites in their Week 5 road contest against the struggling Panthers, but Carolina does have the means to pull off an upset.

It’s probably a bit too soon to start identifying trap games on the San Francisco 49ers’ 2022 schedule.

But, if there was one already, it should easily be the Niners’ Week 5 road matchup against the underperforming and 1-3 Carolina Panthers.

Pound for pound, San Francisco deserves to be the 6.5-point road favorite, according to WynnBET. The 49ers boast a playoff-caliber roster, an elite defense and are riding high after their dominant Monday Night Football Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Meanwhile, Carolina’s offense is borderline atrocious, either at or near the bottom in nearly every significant category. And while the Panthers defense has been notably better than their offense, it’s fairly easy to say the Niners are the superior of the two teams by a significant margin.

That’s where the trap comes into play.

Keep in mind, San Francisco is coming off a short week, having played last Monday night, and has to travel across the country. Fortunately, the kickoff time is at 4:05 p.m. ET, so it’s not a 10 a.m. body-clock start for the 49ers.

Yet cross-country road trips always add untold X-factors.

There are other ways, though, that Carolina can ultimately upset the Niners in this otherwise one-sided showdown.

Let’s look at a few.

Reason No. 4: Christian McCaffrey has a vintage game vs. 49ers

With few offensive weapons at the Panthers’ disposal, it’ll be much easier for San Francisco’s top-ranked defense to clamp down on the few playmakers it’ll face on Sunday.

Including All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, who hasn’t quite been the same since that legendary 2019 campaign and is also banged up entering this contest with a thigh injury. And while he’s been cleared from Carolina’s injury report, that’ll nevertheless be a concern for him.

However, a 2019-like game from McCaffrey could haunt the 49ers much as they experienced against running back Javonte Williams of the Denver Broncos, who helped Denver’s offense stay on the field long enough to wear down the Niners defense ahead of that forgettable fourth quarter.

Read More: Should 49ers trade for Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey?

McCaffrey is clearly more potent, of course. And while his 408 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns aren’t quite up to the lofty standard he set for himself in 2019, the danger of him having a take-over game is always going to be there.

San Francisco will need to ensure its top-billed run defense and high-performing pass defense are both on point against this dual-threat weapon.