Christian McCaffrey certainly showed flashes of greatness Sunday during his season debut.

For starters, he was excellent as a receiver. He caught six passes for 68 yards plus he made a clutch over-the-shoulder 30-yard catch in the fourth quarter. His presence definitely improved the passing game.

But as a runner, he was not the Christian McCaffrey we’ve grown accustomed to.

He gained just 39 yards on 13 carries. That’s a mere three yards per carry. That’s terrible. Part of the reason he didn’t rush well is because the Buccaneers loaded the box to stop him. But teams have done that to McCaffrey his entire career. Loaded boxes never slowed down McCafrrey in the past.

The biggest reason he gained just 39 rushing yards is that he didn’t get many after contact. Which means when he got hit, he went down. He had four yards after contact for the entire game.

It seems obvious that McCaffrey still is protecting himself on the field. Because even if he doesn’t feel soreness in his Achilles tendons anymore, he knows he could rupture one at any moment. So he’s being cautious until he feels he can let it rip and play with no hesitation.

I don’t knock McCaffrey for playing with caution in his first game back. Any player would do the same thing after missing half a season and traveling to Germany to treat bilateral Achilles’ tendonitis. But it seems he’s a ways away from being able to carry the team on his back like he did last season.

Until further notice, he’s a supporting actor, not the lead.