49ers vs. Chiefs Week 7 Live Blog

Will Christian McCaffrey lead the 49ers to an upset victory?

SANTA CLARA -- This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers' Week 7 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

11:35 Christian McCaffrey will make his 49ers debut this afternoon, and it sounds like he will play more than a handful of snaps. It's possible he even could start, considering he can memorize the opening script. He also can memorize a few plays for the red zone and for third down. Which means he might play more than 20 snaps. Kyle Shanahan probably wants McCaffrey to have a big debut to justify all the picks the 49ers gave up for him.

11:40 Charvarius Ward probably will miss this game with a groin injury, but Jimmie Ward will return from a broken thumb he suffered two weeks ago. Look for Ward to play nickelback and cover Chiefs slot receiver Juju Smith-Schuster. Then look for the 49ers to bracket tight end Travis Kelce with two defenders, and try to force the Chiefs to throw to their third option -- Marquez Valdes-Scantling. That would be a smart strategy for the 49ers. The problem is that the person covering Valdes-Scantling will be Dontae Johnson or Ambry Thomas or Sam Womack. So that becomes the key matchup -- the 49ers' No. 3 cornerback versus the Chiefs third option in their passing game. If the 49ers' No. 3 cornerback can hold his own, the 49ers defense should be in decent shape against the No. 1 scoring offense in the league.

11:58 I spoke too soon about Charvarius Ward. He is active for this game. Here are the 49ers' inactives: Arik Armstead, Jordan Mason, Kemoko Turay, Nick Zakelj, Tyler Kroft, Dontae Johnson.

11:59 Ward injured his groin last week against the Falcons. He also injured his groin two months ago in training camp. That time, he missed two weeks. This time, he missed just a few days of practice. Hopefully this means his latest groin injury wasn't serious and he's 100 percent healthy. Playing him if he's not 100 percent healthy would be a mistake.

1:25 The Chiefs win the toss and defer. The 49ers will get the ball first.

FIRST QUARTER

1:32 On 3rd and 3 from the Chiefs 12, Garoppolo forces a pass to a well-covered Brandon Aiyuk running a slant, and the pass is incomplete. Robbie Gould makes a 30-yard field goal. McCaffrey ran twice for 21 yards on that drive, but Jeff Wilson Jr. was the starter, and he ran twice for 19 yards. Both backs had huge holes.

49ers 3, Chiefs 0.

1:37 On 3rd and 7 from the Chiefs 28, Tashaun Gipson tips Patrick Mahomes' pass and Talanoa Hufanga intercepts it at the 34.

1:40 On 2nd and goal from the 8, Ray-Ray McCloud makes a diving catch in the end zone for a touchdown. Nice play by Jimmy Garoppolo. I doubt McCloud was the first read in the progression.

49ers 10, Chiefs 0.

1:55 On 1st and goal from the 9, Patrick Mahomes completes a shovel pass to Mecole Hardman running a jet sweep, and he scores a touchdown. That was a relatively easy drive for the Chiefs. The difference in the game so far is Mahomes' terrible decision to force the ball into a closed middle of the field.

49ers 10, Chiefs 7.

SECOND QUARTER

2:08 On 3rd and 7 from the Chiefs 24, Mike McGlinchey gets beaten by Chris Jones who sacks Jimmy Garoppolo for a loss of 8. Then Robbie Gould makes a 50-yard field goal. The 49ers are moving the ball well, but they need to end their long drives with touchdowns, not field goals.

49ers 13, Chiefs 7.

2:23 On 1st and 10 from the 49ers 25, Mecole Hardman runs a jet sweep and scores. No one on the 49ers touched him. He's out Deeboing Deebo Samuel.

49ers 13, Chiefs 14.

2:37 On 3rd and 14 from the Chiefs 33, Carlos Dunlap knocks down Jimmy Garoppolo's pass at the line of scrimmage. Then on the field goal attempt, Jaylon Moore commits a false start, which knocks them out of field-goal range. Big error. 

2:39 The Chiefs muff the punt and Samuel Womack recovers at the Chiefs 12.

2:42 On 3rd and 3 from the Chiefs 5, Kansas City blitzes and Garoppolo panics by throwing the ball up for grabs, and he gets intercepted in the end zone. The Chiefs take over at their 6 with 1:28 left.

2:54 On 3rd and goal from the 6, Mahomes throws another touchdown pass, but it doesn't count because Jerick McKinnon committed an illegal chop block on Nick Bosa. Then the Chiefs miss a field goal and the first half ends.

THIRD QUARTER

3:11 On 1st and 10 from the 49ers 16, the Chiefs run right at Nick Bosa, who charges up field as if he's defending a pass, but it's a run, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire sprints past him for an easy touchdown. That was a three-play, 30-yard drive following a 48-yard kick return with a 15-yard late-hit penalty tacked on. Horrible start to the second half for the 49ers.

49ers 13, Chiefs 21.

3:21 On 3rd and 7 from the Chiefs 31, Garoppolo forces a pass over the middle to Kittle, who's covered, and the pass gets knocked down. Then Robbie Gould makes a 49-yard field goal.

49ers 16, Chiefs 21.

3:34 On 3rd and 20 from the 49ers 38, Mahomes completes a screen pass to Jerick McKinnon, who casually runs through the 49ers defense for 34 yards. Next play, Mahomes completes a touchdown pass to Justin Watson. The 49ers defense is falling apart.

49ers 16, Chiefs 28.

FOURTH QUARTER

3:49 On 3rd and 10 from the Chiefs 15, Garoppolo throws a touchdown pass to Kittle. That was the 49ers' first excellent drive of the game.

49ers 23, Chiefs 28.

3:56 On 1st and goal from the 4, Patrick Mahomes hands off to Hardman running a jet sweep, and he scores a touchdown. He now has three touchdowns. The 49ers haven't stopped him in the red zone all day. Two plays earlier, Charvarius Ward gave up a 57-yard catch to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

49ers 23, Chiefs 35.

4:04 On 3rd and 9 from the 49ers 6, Trent Williams gives up a sack to Frank Clark, who tackles Garoppolo in the end zone for a safety. Embarrassing.

49ers 23, Chiefs 37.

4:10 On 3rd and 6 from the 49ers 45, Smith-Schuster catches a pass over the middle and waltzes into the end zone for a touchdown. What a massacre.

49ers 23, Chiefs 44.

4:17 On 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 43, Garoppolo fumbles the ball and the Chiefs recover. Fitting way to end the game. I'm heading down to the locker room. Stay tuned for the 49ers' grades.