The 49ers got the outcome they wanted on Sunday as San Francisco recorded a dominant 45-29 victory over the Cardinals.
One of the biggest factors in the win was star running back Christian McCaffrey, who had a standout performance in the team's latest outing.
Quarterback Brock Purdy had plenty of praise for the running back when he met with the media after the team clinched the NFC West with a repeat win over the Cardinals.
"I think Christian (McCaffrey) should be MVP," Purdy said. "I really do think that. He does everything for us, runs the ball well, catches the ball well, he does everything. And, so, in my eyes, that's an MVP."
Here's what you need to know about McCaffrey's excellent day in Arizona.
Christian McCaffrey 2023 stats
McCaffrey finished out Sunday's game with 18 carries for 115 yards with one touchdown on the ground. He also had five receptions for 72 yards and two scores out of the backfield.
Being a versatile running back who can truly do it all -- catch the ball, run the ball and block -- is essential to allow an NFL team to get the most of an individual at the position in the modern era.
Now that he totals 1,292 rushing yards and 509 receiving yards in 2023, McCaffrey is the fourth player in NFL history to total no less than 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in four or more seasons in his career. With this, he joins Marshall Faulk, Thurman Thomas and Tiki Barber.
With a receiving and rushing touchdown in his latest performance, McCaffrey now has 15 career games in which he has scored each way. He and Faulk are tied for the most such games in NFL history.
Here's a look at how McCaffrey has performed throughout the season by each game.
| Date | Opponent | Carries | Rushing yards | Touchdowns |
| Dec. 17 | Cardinals | 18 | 115 | 1 |
| Dec. 10 | Seahawks | 16 | 145 | 0 |
| Dec. 3 | Eagles | 17 | 93 | 1 |
| Nov. 23 | Seahawks | 19 | 114 | 2 |
| Nov. 19 | Buccaneers | 21 | 78 | 0 |
| Nov. 12 | Jaguars | 16 | 95 | 0 |
| Oct. 29 | Bengals | 12 | 54 | 1 |
| Oct. 23 | Vikings | 15 | 45 | 1 |
| Oct. 15 | Browns | 11 | 43 | 0 |
| Oct. 8 | Cowboys | 19 | 51 | 1 |
| Oct. 1 | Cardinals | 20 | 106 | 3 |
| Sept. 21 | Giants | 18 | 85 | 1 |
| Sept. 17 | Rams | 20 | 116 | 1 |
| Sept. 10 | Steelers | 22 | 152 | 1 |
| Season total | 244 | 1,292 | 13 |
Christian McCaffrey career stats
McCaffrey has had a successful career overall, impressing over the years between his time with the Panthers and the 49ers. Here's a look at how he has performed since he was originally drafted by Carolina eighth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
| Year | Carries | Rushing yards | Touchdowns |
| 2017 | 117 | 435 | 2 |
| 2018 | 219 | 1,098 | 7 |
| 2019 | 287 | 1,387 | 15 |
| 2020 | 59 | 225 | 5 |
| 2021 | 99 | 442 | 1 |
| 2022 | 85 | 393 | 2 |
| 2022 | 159 | 746 | 6 |
| 2023 | 244 | 1,292 | 13 |
| Season total | 1,251 | 5,903 | 50 |