SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It was right around this time last year that the San Francisco 49ers found themselves in a difficult spot heading into their bye week.
The Kansas City Chiefs had just beaten them soundly at Levi's Stadium to drop to 3-4 on the season. But the biggest solution to that team's problems was already in the building.
They acquired running back Christian McCaffrey in a blockbuster trade a couple days earlier with the idea that he could spark a second-half run.
He did, and the Niners ripped off 10 straight wins to close the season on the way to an NFC Championship Game appearance. Little more than a year later, the Niners head into their bye and Tuesday's NFL trade deadline with a much better record but just as much urgency to right the ship after Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.