Sports

The Panthers offense took its time getting going on Monday night, but their biggest play of the night has brought them back within one score of the 49ers.

Quarterback Bryce Young hit wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan for a 29-yard touchdown with 49 seconds left in the third quarter. It was the longest play of the night for either team.

The 49ers were penalized on the extra point, so the Panthers decided to go for two points from the 1-yard line. Young's pass to wide receiver Jalen Coker was incomplete, though, and the 49ers remain up 17-9.

Young is now 12-of-19 for 104 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Christian McCaffrey scored 50 touchdowns as a member of the Panthers and he scored his first touchdown against the team in the third quarter of Monday night's game at Levi's Stadium.

McCaffrey capped the first 49ers possession of the second half with a 12-yard touchdown run around the left end. Matt Gay's extra point extended the 49ers' lead to 17-3 with 4:42 left to play in the third quarter.

The 49ers running back has 16 carries for 69 yards and seven catches for 53 yards.

Carolina had the ball to start the second half and got a 17-yard run from Rico Dowdle on their first offensive play. A holding penalty stalled the drive, however, and the Panthers will need to find their offensive footing in a hurry if they're going to have a chance at pulling out a win.

49ers quarterback Brock Purdy played a sloppy first half in Monday night's game against the Panthers, but his team still leads 10-3 at the halftime break.

Purdy opened the game by leading a 15-play touchdown drive that ate up nearly nine minutes, but then threw interceptions on each of the team's next three possessions. The 49ers defense had an interception of its own and held the Panthers to one field goal before the 49ers were able to drive for Matt Gay's first field goal since joining the Niners.

The 49ers looked like they might be able to drive for even more points, but Purdy misfired on three straight passes before the 47-yard kick with a minute to play in the first half. Purdy ended the half 14-of-23 for 114 yards while Christian McCaffrey picked up 83 yards on 17 touches.

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young wasn't any better than Purdy in the first 30 minutes. He followed up Purdy's first interception by trying to force a ball to tight end Mitchell Evans in the end zone and 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown picked it off to keep the Panthers off the board.

Young finished the half 6-of-10 for 28 yards and, per ESPN, the Panthers are the first team to trail at halftime after a three-interception half since Week 12 of the 2021 season. They'll have a chance to start turning things around when they receive the opening kickoff of the third quarter.