Former NFL player has brutally honest take on why 49ers miss Christian McCaffrey

The 49ers aren't the same team without Christian McCaffrey, and one former NFL player pointed out why the All-Pro's absence is a problem.

The San Francisco 49ers are still a Super Bowl contender without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.

They just might not be a Super Bowl favorite in his absence, though.

McCaffrey is shelved on injured reserve after dealing with both calf and Achilles injuries that crept up during training camp and the preseason, ultimately forcing him to miss the first game of the year and now at least four weeks, potentially even longer.

When asked about the running back's timetable for return following the Niners' Week 2 road loss at the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Kyle Shanahan bluntly responded by saying, "nobody knows."

San Francisco's ground game has gotten by with backup running back Jordan Mason, who rushed for 147 yards and 100 yards with two combined touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.

But Mason isn't McCaffrey. Not by a long shot.

And the 49ers' recent loss illustrated how the offense sorely misses the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, a facet that was pointed out by one former NFL defensive tackle who performs color commentary on the Niners' radio network, Tim Ryan.

Tim Ryan: 49ers are 'missing CMC in the passing game, period'

Speaking to KNBR 680's Murph & Markus Show on the Monday following Week 2's loss, Ryan broke down how San Francisco's offense isn't the same without McCaffrey in the fray.

"They're missing CMC in the passing game, period," Ryan said. "He's uncoverable a lot of times in those situations. What the 49ers need to do is stay out of 3rd-and-9 and 3rd-and-10."

Expanding further, and including the versatility of wide receiver Deebo Samuel, having McCaffrey allows head coach Kyle Shanahan to call far more dynamic plays with either one of those two players lined up in the backfield or out in the slot as a receiving threat, thereby confusing defenses and creating mismatches that boost the Niners' overall offensive impact.

Without McCaffrey, Samuel remains the lone multifaceted, dual-threat kind of player at Shanahan's disposal.

Highlighting this problem is the fact San Francisco went 2-of-10 on third-down tries at Minnesota, and Shanahan also failed to convert on two of his three fourth-down tries, too.

One can safely wonder if those numbers would have been better if McCaffrey was fully healthy and playing.

Probably.

Unfortunately, there's no timetable for McCaffrey's return since "nobody knows."

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