49ers x Week 12 x Jags Easily Tamed

A week after coming from a loss to Green Bay, the Niners hoped to recover at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The loss to the Packers also marked the slowest start of the season for starting quarterback Alex Smith. However the loss at Lambeau Field was a thing of the past as Smith looked comfortable in the pocket in the early going. The Niners came out guns blazing and headed into the half with a 17-3 lead highlighted by a touchdown reception from both RB Frank Gore and TE Vernon Davis. Davis tied a franchise single season franchise record by a tight end with his ninth touchdown catch of the season. Davis' nine touchdown receptions also ties him for the NFL lead. Alex Smith finished the game with 232 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 for 41 passing. Also worth mentioning, Smith didn't throw an interception for the first time this season.

With the offense getting their end of the job done, the defense also did what was needed by holding the Jags to only 3 points and just 35 yards in the first half, thanks to a missed 40 yard field-goal by Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee. Misfortune didn't stop there, as Scobee would again miss a field-goal, this time a 21 yarder. The miss tied for the shortest of the season. The defensive standoff marked the third time this season that San Francisco did not allow a touchdown, as Jacksonville failed convert in the red zone, finishing the day 0-for-4 . Compliments were given to QB David Garrard who fumbled twice in key situations. The home scoreboard wasn't the only one the Niners were curious about, as the Tennessee Titans hosted the visiting Arizona Cardinals in a wild come from behind win that helped the Niners take a breath of relief as far as the NFC West standings go.

In week 13, the Niners will be playing a Seattle team that hasn't been itself since visiting San Francisco in week 2 when starting QB Matt Hasselbeck went down with a back injury during the 3rd quarter. Since the win, the Seahawks have been in the Niners rear-view mirror in the NFC West standings. But since the 23-10 win over Seattle 11 weeks ago, the 49ers have had a hard time winning on enemy turf to say the least. And a visit to Quest field in the chilly Emerald city will be no different, as it's been known to be one of the hardest places to win as a visiting team.