49ers' Christian McCaffrey makes MVP case with 4 TDs in rout - ESPN

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The NFL's Most Valuable Player Award has been given to a quarterback for each of the past 10 seasons.

It's a fact that wasn't lost in the conversation in the San Francisco 49ers' locker room after their 35-16 win against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

But, after running back Christian McCaffrey piled up 177 yards from scrimmage, scored four times and set a franchise record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown (13, including playoffs), left tackle Trent Williams was unafraid to say it might be time for that to change.

«Hey, all them streaks come to an end eventually, right?» Williams said. «This might be the year. I can see it.»

On Oct. 20, it will have been one year since the Niners acquired McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for second, third and fourth-round picks in the 2023 NFL draft and a fifth-round selection in 2024. At the time the Niners landed him, general manager John Lynch referred to him as a «force multiplier,» the type of player who can elevate everyone around him.

That's been evident plenty in McCaffrey's time with the team but never more so than Sunday afternoon. McCaffrey broke Rice's record on the Niners' first drive, plunging into the end zone from 1 yard out.

«That means a lot,» McCaffrey said. «Touchdowns are a lot of fun. Hopefully we can keep it rolling.»

On San Francisco's second possession, McCaffrey took a backward lateral from quarterback Brock Purdy, made a defender miss, hurdled another and raced to the end zone for an 18-yard score. Williams was standing nearby when McCaffrey made the play and immediately marched over to tell McCaffrey, «Man, you're a baaaaaad boy.»

McCaffrey added a 6-yard touchdown grab from Purdy and a 2-yard