49ers x Week 7 x Carr Gets Clawed

Fresh off their first win of the season by beating their Bay Area rivals -- the Oakland Raiders, the 49ers payed a trip to Carolina to face the win-less Panthers. What looked to be an easy win for Mike Singletary's boys, would prove to be anything but. San Francisco would claw first, as QB Alex Smith connected with TE Vernon Davis for a touchdown, putting the 49ers up early. The early visit to the end-zone took only 3-plays and looked like one of the better drives put together by the 49er offense. Carolina would respond with a field-goal, before San Francisco exchanged for one of their own. WR David Gettis would then make a name for himself, catching an 18-yard pass from Panthers QB Matt Moore to tie the game at 10, as the first half concluded.

The second half would start off on a sour note for the 49er offense, as Smith was taken down for a sack, just several plays into their first possession. After being slow to get up, Smith was pulled out of the game in favor of back-up QB David Carr. While Smith rushed to the locker room to get his shoulder checked, Carr began having troubles of his own, as he began trying to find his rhythm. After being forced to punt, kicker John Kasey would give Carolina their first lead of the game with a 55-yard field-goal putting the Panthers up 13-10. Despite a 102-yard performance from 49ers running-back Frank Gore, the rest of the day for the 49er offense would be nonexistent. The only scoring on the offensive side of the ball for San Francisco would come via the field-goal.

With the game tied at 13-13, 49er defensive-end Ray McDonald ran back an interception 31-yards to put the 49ers up 20-13. As the San Francisco personnel began celebrating on the sideline, the 49ers looked almost destined to win their second consecutive game. However, Matt Moore and the Carolina offense refused to lie down. With the chance to tie it midway into the fourth quarter, David Gettis who caught his first career TD reception in the second quarter, dropped what would've been a game-tying touchdown in the end-zone. But after a three and out, the 49ers were forced to punt, giving the Panthers another shot at tying the game. It wouldn't take long for Gettis to make up for that dropped touchdown earlier in the quarter, as Moore found him in the end-zone, tying the game at 20.

With just over a minute left on the game clock, David Carr was given a chance to win it for the 49ers, but instead threw a pass into double coverage resulting in an interception. Moore made the most of it and got his team into field goal range, connecting on a 35 yard pass, setting John Kasey up for a game winning 37-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining. As Carr continued to struggle, the final seconds ticked off the clock, giving the Panthers their long-awaited first victory of the season. Meanwhile, the 49ers continue to struggle, dropping to a disappointing 1-6 record and into the cellar, owning last place in the NFC West.

Week 7 Preview - The 49ers make a trip across the pond to face the Denver Broncos in London, England in what will serve as one of San Francisco's home games. With their only win of the season coming against the Oakland Raiders, the 49ers hope to repeat their success against another AFC Western division foe. For San Francisco's sake of somehow making the playoffs, let's hope a change of continent will get the 49ers back into their winning ways.