Steelers prepare for multi-faceted threat posed by 49ers star Christian McCaffrey

Tasked over the past week-plus with formulating a plan to limit San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey, savvy veteran NFL defensive coordinator Teryl Austin devised a unique strategy.

“We’re going to try to play with 12 guys,” Austin said, laughing.

Presumably, Austin won’t want to actually subject the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 5-yard penalty for too men on the field during each of the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive snaps during Sunday’s season opener. So, bet on Austin and the Steelers taking a more traditional tactical approach in containing McCaffrey in the 1 p.m. game at Acrisure Stadium.

McCaffrey has finished among the top three in the NFL in yards from scrimmage during each of the three pro seasons in which he has appeared in at least half of his team’s games.

“He is a special talent coming out of the backfield,” Austin said this week. “What really makes it special is he can split out, and he can run the wide receiver stuff. I mean, that guy is really unique. He catches the ball. He runs the ball well. We’re just going to have to make sure that when he gets the ball, he’s not getting it in space by himself, and that we always have some type of ability to really corral him and keep his yards after catch down.”

McCaffrey is playing his first season opener for San Francisco, the reigning NFC champions and a team on the short list of Super Bowl favorites. The 27-year-old also is coming off his first healthy season since 2019 after he appeared in 10 of the Carolina Panthers’ 33 games over 2020 and 2021.

The league’s highest-paid running back based on average annual value of the four-year, $64.1 million contract he signed with Carolina in 2020, McCaffrey was dealt to San Francisco for four draft picks (in the second, third, fourth and fifth rounds) Oct. 20.

“We just got to respect the dynamic playmaking ability that he has both in the running game and in the passing game,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “It’s very evident how significant his addition has been for them.

“He’s a one-on-one space winner.”

Tomlin noted that after the trade for McCaffrey, the 49ers’ average offensive output climbed from 20.3 points in the six games before acquiring him to 29.8 during the 11 games with him.

“That’s 10 points a game with the addition of one man,” Tomlin said.

In his only career meeting against the Steelers, McCaffrey accounted for more than that. During a blowout loss while playing for Carolina at then-Heinz Field on Nov. 8, 2018, McCaffrey tied a career best with three touchdowns (one rushing, two receiving) and had 138 yards from scrimmage (77 rushing on 14 carries, 61 on five receptions).

Of course, that’s ancient history relative to the NFL. The only Steelers defensive players still around from that game are Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt.

“He can stretch you, he can gash vertically, he can split out and run a full route tree that a receiver has,” Watt said Friday. “It’s gonna be challenging, for sure.”

TJ Watt on how the unique and varied 49ers offense is so stressing to a defense pic.twitter.com/x7ywh9e0tO

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 8, 2023

The Steelers have prided themselves on prioritizing shutting down opponents’ running games. Last season, they did an adequate job at limiting some of the NFL’s best running backs. In four games against the running backs who ranked among the top five in the NFL in rushing yards last season (Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders and Nick Chubb twice), the Steelers allowed an average of 72.6 yards from scrimmage.

McCaffrey’s skill set, though, represents far more threats than mere rushing yards.

“I think his versatility to be in any position, whether it’s being a running back, a wide receiver or coming out of the backfield catching, there’s nothing he can’t do on the field,” Heyward said.

“And if you give that guy space, you’re in for a world of hurt.”

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