Tevin Coleman's 4 TDs Lead Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers to Blowout Win vs. Panthers

The San Francisco 49ers remain unbeaten with a 51-13 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.

The Panthers suffered their first loss since Kyle Allen replaced injured quarterback Cam Newton as the starter in Week 3.

Heading into Week 8, head coach Ron Rivera told reporters Newton was still rehabbing his foot injury, which made the decision to start Allen once again straightforward. The end of Allen's winning streak could make it easier to restore the three-time Pro Bowler as the starter once he's fully healthy.

On the other side, this is only the second time since the merger that the 49ers have started a season 7-0. San Francisco opened the 1990 season 10-0, eventually losing to the New York Giants in the NFC title game.

Notable Performances

• Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 49ers: 18-of-22, 175 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
• Tevin Coleman, RB, 49ers: 11 carries, 105 yards, three touchdowns; two receptions, 13 yards, one touchdown
• Matt Breida, RB, 49ers: 11 carries, 35 yards; one reception, 15 yards
• Emmanuel Sanders, WR, 49ers: four receptions, 25 yards, one touchdown
• George Kittle, TE 49ers: six receptions, 86 yards
• Kyle Allen, QB, Panthers: 19-of-37, 158 yards, three interceptions
• Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers: 14 carries, 11 yards, one touchdown; four receptions, 38 yards

49ers Dominant on Both Sides of the Ball

This game was effectively over by halftime thanks in large part to the 49ers defense. San Francisco held Carolina to three points and sacked Allen six times through the first two quarters. The offense was doing its part, too, torching the Panthers, who were third in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders.

When all was said and done, the 49ers gained 338 yards to the Panthers' 220 and averaged 6.0 yards per play compared to 3.7 for Carolina, per ESPN.com.

The Patriots are still the Super Bowl favorites based on their track record and a defense that's on pace to be historically dominant. Aside from New England, no team is more balanced than San Francisco.

With tackle Joe Staley already out, it looked like the 49ers offense was potentially in trouble when Kyle Juszczyk picked up a knee sprain. The fullback is an integral member of the running game for the way in which he opens running lanes for his teammates out of the backfield.

The running game was firing on all cylinders Sunday as Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Deebo Samuel combined for 169 yards on 24 carries.

Pity the poor fantasy football owners who faced off against Coleman, who had four total touchdowns and eclipsed the century mark on the ground.

The success of the rushing attack helped overshadow Jimmy Garoppolo's seventh interception of the season.

Kyle Allen Gets a Reality Check

Allen had thrown for 901 yards and seven touchdowns and most impressively went without an interception through his first four starts this year. According to ESPN's Field Yates, he was 24 attempts away from breaking Dak Prescott's record for the most passes without a pick to start a career.

The run ended in the second quarter when Emmanuel Moseley intercepted a pass intended for Curtis Samuel. It wasn't a great decision by Allen as Moseley had Samuel blanketed before the ball arrived.

Although Allen doesn't bear the full brunt of blame for the loss, the result should end any conversation about whether he's a superior option to Newton.

Christian McCaffrey's MVP candidacy arguably improved in spite of the loss.

After gaining 76 total yards in the second half, the Panthers got the first score of the second half when they sacked Garoppolo in the end zone for a safety. Three plays later, McCaffrey broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run.

That helped make it a two-score game, 27-13, but San Francisco quickly answered back with a 20-yard touchdown run by Samuel.

For a fleeting moment, McCaffrey had breathed life into a listless Carolina offense.

What's Next?

The Niners hit the road for the first of three straight NFC West clashes when they play the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. The Panthers host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday, with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET.