Week 4: 49ers get back on track with blowout Win over St. Louis

The San Francisco 49ers entered Thursday night's game against the division-rival St. Louis Rams under .500 for the first time under head coach Jim Harbaugh who also endured his first set of back-to-back losses at the helm in weeks 2 and 3. Having been blown out in each of their last two outings, the 49ers were in dire need of a win to get back on track and prove to the league that last year's Super Bowl appearance was no fluke. And though Colin Kaepernick and company would eventually light up the scoreboard, something they've been unable to do since week 1, their double-digit win against the Rams was anything but flawless to start. 

One of the lone areas the 49ers struggled at in 2012 was at the kicker position. David Akers who set numerous records in his first year with the team in 2011 followed that up with a forgetful season in 2012 which resulted in the 49ers moving on from Akers and acquiring Browns Pro-Bowl kicker Phil Dawson. But so far in 2013 Dawson has had the look of anything but a Pro-Bowl kicker, missing 3 of 6 field goal tries to begin the year, begging the question if the 49ers are simply cursed at the kicker position. In the fist half it definitely appeared so as Dawson missed a 53 yard try on San Francisco's first drive on offense before later attempting and missing a 71-yard free-kick, something that's become a rarity in today's game. The last of which was successful in 1976 by Ray Wersching. The Rams would strike first on a 40 yard field goal off the foot of Greg Zuerlein who got some help from the right post, ending St. Louis' scoreless first quarter drought at 10 games. Unfortunately for Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, those would be the only points his team would score until late in the fourth quarter. 

The 49ers who've prided themselves on rushing defense over the last few years have been exceptionally bad in that category this season, allowing a league high 6 rushing touchdowns through the first three games. Also not indicative of the Niner defense is the 350+ rushing yards surrendered. And though they haven't looked like themselves out of the games in 2013, the San Francisco defense got back to their true identity on Thursday by holding the Rams to only 18 yards rushing on 19 carries despite being without Pro Bowlers Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith. Rams QB Sam Bradford was also given a hard time, throwing an interception and losing a fumble after constantly being pressured throughout the game. But the 49ers dominance on the ground attack wasn't limited to the defensive side of the ball. Running back Frank Gore who entered the game without a 100-yard performance through the first 3 weeks, surpassed the century mark in the first half alone by rushing for 107 yards by halftime before finishing the game with 153 yards and a touchdown, the 14th TD of his career against the Rams. 

Like Gore, another 49er that has made a living off torturing the Rams defense is receiver Anquan Boldin who hauled in 90 yards and a touchdown on 5 receptions. Dating back to his time spent in Arizona as a member of the Cardinals, Boldin has logged over 1,200 receiving yards against St. Louis. The duo of Gore & Boldin combined for more yards than the entire Rams offense by games end. 

As for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who's been under heavy scrutiny for his poor play the past two weeks, Kaepernick threw for a pair of touchdowns on Thursday after failing to reach the end zone in each of his last two games. He didn't exactly have the type of awe-inspiring performance that would cause you to pick your jaw up from off the floor but he managed to play a clean game and didn't throw a single interception after throwing four in his last two outings. After trailing early, Kaepernick and the 49ers put up a barrage of scoring-drives, tallying 28 unanswered-points in route to a 35-11 victory. The second of Kaepernick's two touchdown passes went to tight-end Vernon Davis and the running back tandem of Kendall Hunter and Anthony Dixon each finished with a touchdown run of their own. With a combined 10 points following losses in weeks 2 & 3, the San Francisco offense mustered 14 points by halftime and from there on it was smooth sailing, ending coach Harbaugh's longest losing streak at two games. The Rams who were a thorn in coach Harbaugh's foot last season, handing the 49ers a tie at Candlestick and a loss in St. Louis, were finally put in their place. 

Week 5 Preview - Having been knocked around in each of their last two games, it was nice to see the 49ers return the favor and do some bullying of their own in week 4. But a repeat of that dominance is unlikely in week 5 as the 49ers prepare to host a Houston Texans team coming off a heart-wrenching loss at home to the Seattle Seahawks in which they squandered a 20-3 lead at the half and lost 23-20. Like San Francisco, Houston was picked by many to contend for a Super Bowl title this season but have had their fair share of struggles and sit at 2-2. It's no secret that the 49ers have been at their best under coach Harbaugh when establishing the run game and feeding Frank Gore. And with a stout passing defense in town like Houston's, the 49ers will be best off doing just that, feeding Frank the Tank the ball. But like the Texans, the 49ers will also have a tall order ahead of them as Houston hopes to run the ball down San Francisco's throat with a two-headed monster of their own at running back with Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Who comes out victorious in this one is anyone's guess but one thing that's certain is that it should be a good one!

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Week 3: Lack of Offense leads to 49ers scratching their head

This past Sunday the 49ers returned home after a blowout loss on the road in Seattle for what they thought would be a way to get back on track. Instead, the team's struggles followed them to the bay area where they would show side-effects that carried over from the beat down received by the Seahawks. Hosting the Andrew Luck led Indianapolis Colts who 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh mentored at the University of Stanford, the reunion between college coach and former player eventually turned into a player teaching his former coach a lesson as San Francisco lost consecutive games for the first time under their third year head coach.

Penalties which have haunted the 49ers defense through the first few weeks continued to plague the team on Sunday including on the first two plays from scrimmage on the Colts opening drive which set up Indianapolis near mid-field. From there Andrew Luck would carve up the 49ers secondary before handing the ball off to the newest Colt Trent Richardson who was acquired in a trade with the Browns earlier in the week. Richardson took little time to fit right in, plowing into the end zone from 1-yard out on his first carry with his new club to put them ahead, 7-0. After failing to put together a single touchdown drive in Seattle in week 2, San Francisco's offense appeared to have shaken off the cobwebs on their second possession of the game, as the 49ers were able to establish the run game early on, something they've perfected under coach Harbaugh but were unable to accomplish in weeks 1 and 2. QB Colin Kaepernick orchestrated a nine play, 91-yard touchdown drive highlighted by a 13-yard TD run by running back Kendall Hunter, tying the game at 7. However, it would be the only time coach Harbaugh's team would pay the end zone a visit. 

As if the 49ers receiving corps wasn't banged up enough to start the year, the team was without their best target on offense in Pro-Bowl tight-end Vernon Davis. Hampered by a hamstring injury suffered in the loss at Seattle, Davis watched his quarterback struggle all afternoon in what would eventually be Kaepernick's first loss at Candlestick Park since being promoted the starting QB in week 11 last season. Completing 13 of 27 passes for 150 yards with a fumble and an interception, Kaepernick followed up the worst outing of his NFL career with another sub-par performance. As for Andrew Luck, last year's first overall pick in the 2012 Draft didn't have one of his brightest performances either, throwing for only 159 yards on 17 of 26 completions, but he came up big when needed and put the game away for good in the fourth quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run he capitalized with an emphatic spiking of the ball. Indy added salt to the wound with another late touchdown by running back Ahmad Bradshaw as the Colts routed the 49ers by a final of 27-7.

The 34 points San Francisco scored in their week 1 win against Green Bay now looks like an anomaly as Kaepernick and company has scored a whooping 10 total points in their last two games. Is it a coincidence that the 49ers haven't been able to muster much success on offense while coach Harbaugh has elected to drift away from the read-option some? The 49ers have also utilized very little play-action plays, another area in which Kaepernick has excelled in. Regardless, Kaepernick's poor performances over the past two weeks which I believe he'll bounce back from, have already ignited a 'bring back Alex Smith' type of crowd on Twitter. Numerous users of the social media website sent Kaepernick tweets with stuff you'd expect from a 12 year old problem child. Everything from "You suck" to "Kaepernick is garbage" was sent to the 49ers quarterback and guess who favorited each and every tweet -- none other than Colin himself. If anybody wants Colin Kaepernick to bounce back from his recent struggles, it's Colin Kaepernick. And these negative tweets from so called "fans" should only add to his hunger.

Rome wasn't built overnight so for anyone that's been a Niners fan prior to the Harbaugh era knows the hardships this franchise has been through over the last decade or so. So to see panic of this magnitude from the fan base three weeks into the season is laughable. 


Week 4 Preview: With blowout losses in back-to-back games for the 49ers, coach Harbaugh will have little time to prepare his team for their next opponent as San Francisco has a Thursday night meeting in St. Louis to face the division-rival Rams on short rest. Like the 49ers, the Rams are 1-2 and are hoping to rebound from a double-digit loss suffered in week 3. Losing 31-7 on the road in Dallas last week, St. Louis allowed nearly 200 yards on the ground alone and three touchdowns through the air. But by no means will Thursday night's game in St. Louis be an easy task for the 49ers who almost always have a hard time against the Rams, but it might be good for Kaepernick and company to play with their backs against the wall. Having opened the season as one of the few Super Bowl favorites, the 49ers have already taken a hit in many of the NFL's power rankings. So much so that pundits are prematurely declaring the 49ers season over if they lose and fall to 1-3. In their two meetings last season, coach Harbaugh was unable to solve Rams coach Jeff Fisher who handed Harbaugh both a loss and a tie in 2012. Entering Thursday's game, the all-time series between the 49ers and Rams is tied, 62-62-1.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Week 2: Seahawks Defense leaves 49ers Sleepless in Seattle

No rivalry in the NFL has been as heated in the last few seasons as the one out west between NFC heavyweights San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. And on Sunday night, those two teams renewed their rivalry as a record crowd of 68,388 fans attended CenturyLink Field for what was regarded as one of the most highly anticipated games on the NFL's regular season schedule between two young stud quarterbacks and a pair of stout defenses. But what began as a back and forth slop fest, eventually turned into a lopsided beat down. During the game's early going you would've thought you were watching a Seattle Mariners vs San Francisco Giants baseball game not only because of the hour-long weather delay due to lightning but also because of the low-scoring affair that took place in the first half.

While power outages have worked in San Francisco's favor in the past, weather delays would prove to be another story for the reigning NFC champs who found themselves trailing 5-0 at the half following a safety and a field goal. Though it would be a forgetful day for both young QB's who made a bet prior to the game that the loser had to shave an eyebrow in promotion of the new Madden 14 video game, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick would be on the short end of the stick when it was all said and done. Kaepernick who put up a career-high 412 passing yards in Week 1, would follow up arguably his best NFL performance with his worst, throwing for only 127 yards. With 3 interceptions in all of last season, Kaepernick matched that total in this game alone, receiving little help from his receiving corps who were held in check by Seattle's stellar secondary. Receiver Anquan Boldin who stole the headlines in his 49ers debut last week by compiling over 200 yards receiving to go along with a touchdown, was virtually a ghost in this one, hauling in just one grab for 7 yards after being blanketed in the first half by Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.

San Francisco failed to establish the run game for the second straight week as Frank Gore was basically a non-factor, tallying just 16 yards on 9 carries. However, the same couldn't be said for the team on the other sideline. Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch has been a thorn in the side of the 49ers defense in the past and this game was no different, rushing the ball for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Before the game had ended the Pro-Bowl running back received enough Skittles to feed the entire coaching staff as he also added a 7-yard touchdown reception, scoring all three of Seattle's TD's. Like his 49ers counterpart, Russell Wilson would also have a hard time making plays as he and Kaepernick threw for a combined 58 yards in the first half. Only his line would be slightly better at the game's end, completing under 50% of his passes (8-for-19) for 142 yards to go along with a touchdown and an interception. But where Wilson struggled, his defense more than made up for it, giving head coach Pete Carroll a 29-3 victory over the team he grew up rooting for and once upon a time served as the defensive coordinator for on his 62nd Birthday.

With coach Carroll handing Jim Harbaugh the worst loss in his NFL coaching career the last time these two teams met, a 42-13 win in Seattle last December, Sunday night's meeting wasn't an improvement by any stretch despite the score being slightly closer. After being held scoreless in the first half, San Francisco's only points would come in the third quarter as kicker Phil Dawson put the Niners on the board with a third quarter field goal. But the scoreboard wouldn't be the only place coach Harbaugh saw his team receive a beating as they also took a hit in the injury department. Though rookie safety Eric Reid would log his second career interception in as many games this season, he would have to be helped off the field in the second quarter after suffering a concussion, forcing him to leave the game.

And while Reid has reportedly passed every NFL-mandated test since his injury and should be good to go come week 3, the news regarding nose tackle Ian Williams who departed Sunday's loss with a foot injury wouldn't be anything but pleasant as it was learned that he'll be out for the remainder of the season with a broken ankle. Former first round pick Glenn Dorsey who was acquired during the off-season will fill the void left by Williams. Vernon Davis also left Seattle banged up with a hamstring injury, causing the Pro-Bowl tight-end to miss practice all week and is questionable to play in Sunday's game.

As seen in this one, home-field advantage made all the difference in the world. After pulling out a sloppy victory from the skin of their teeth on the road in Carolina in Week 1, a game in which Seattle easily could have lost and most likely would have had it not been for DeAngelo Williams' careless late fourth quarter fumble, the Seahawks took it to their division foes much like they did last December in the same building. With both teams not scheduled to meet again until week 14 in San Francisco, Harbaugh and company has plenty of time to work out the kinks in preparation of their next bout. Whether a wager will be on the line between the two QB's in the rematch is unknown but it's only fair Kaepernick and Russell make a second bet when the two teams meet again this time on Kaepernick's home field. Check out the video of Kaepernick owning up to the bet and shaving off his eyebrow down below:


Week 3 Preview: San Francisco looks to bounce back from their ugly loss with a meeting against the Indianapolis Colts at Candlestick. Having already seen a pair of talented QB's in each of their first two games this season in Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, the 49ers will now turn their attention to another standout passer in Andrew Luck who coach Harbaugh knows quite a few things about dating back to their time spent together at the University of Stanford. But as excited as coach Harbaugh will be to see his former star quarterback, their reunion will be the last thing on their minds once the whistle blows as both teams look to get back into the win column. Indy is coming off a 24-20 loss at home to the 2-0 Miami Dolphins and is primed to get back on track. Luck won't be the only one the Niners defense will have to keep an eye on as running back Trent Richardson will be looking to make a first impression with his new team after being dealt from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday in one of the more bizarre trades we've seen two weeks into the season. Richardson who was drafted third overall in last year's draft was traded for a first-round pick in next year's draft. And as much as I like the move for the Colts, I just wish it had happened after week 3 so the 49ers wouldn't have to face him...


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Week 1: 49ers Pack a Punch vs the Pack, 34-28.

Eight months after watching San Francisco's Colin Kaepenick torch the Packers' defense for an NFL-record 181 yards rushing, the most ever by a QB, Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy and his defensive personnel were itching for revenge against the multi-talented quarterback who led the 49ers to a 45-31 win over the Pack in last year's NFC Divisional round meeting. Being left with many sleepless nights and nightmares ending with the 49ers QB sprinting to the end zone kissing his bicep, Green Bay spent the entire offseason studying film, trying to get a beat on Kaepernick and the read-option. And though they kept him at bey on the ground on Sunday, they were unable to find an answer for him through the air. Having already showcased his running ability, this time Kaepernick utilized his weapons through the passing game, throwing for a career-high 412 yards, eclipsing both the 300 and 400 yard mark for the first time in his young career.

Making his 49ers debut, Anquan Boldin stole the show by nabbing 13 grabs for 208 yards and a touchdown. Looked upon by head coach Jim Harbaugh to be the fill-in for the injured Michael Crabtree, Boldin impressed his new team just like he did when they faced him in the Super Bowl in February. With Boldin being by far the number one target of the day, Kaepernick also showed plenty of love to his tight-end Vernon Davis. The chemistry issues that Kaepernick seemed to have with Davis last year prior to the Super Bowl were nonexistent on Sunday as the two connected six times for 98-yards and a pair of touchdowns. With arguably the best quarterback in the game today on the other sideline in Aaron Rodgers, the former league MVP also logged a nice outing of his own, throwing for 333 yards and a trio of touchdowns as wide-outs Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb each eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards and hauled in a touchdown respectively. But unlike San Francisco's offense which was flawless in the turnover department, the Packers were unable to play mistake-free football as they suffered both an Eddie Lacy fumble and an Aaron Rodgers interception in the first half.

Rookie safety Eric Reid dazzled in his NFL debut and made it obvious why the 49ers traded up to snag him with their first round pick in April's Draft. The kid out of LSU recorded six tackles to go along with the only interception of the game, a heads up play on a tipped pass intended for Jermichael Finley that came within inches of touching the ground. During a dry-spell in which the 49ers defense had a hard time making tackles, the 21-year old Reid made it look rather easy and had no trouble adapting to the starting role. Aside from poor tackling, the only other issue the 49ers seemed to have in their season-opener was play clock management as Kaepernick had to blow a handful of timeouts at times they could've done without. But given it's only week 1, there's plenty of time for adjustments to be made.

The one topic everyone seemed to talk about following the game however, was the late-hit that Packers linebacker Clay Matthews put on Colin Kaepernick during the second quarter. Matthews who was in the news earlier this week for publicly saying he and the Green Bay D were targeting the 49ers QB, made a lunging tackle on Kaepernick who was several yards out of bounds after scrambling and coming up short on a 3rd and 6 play. Penalty flags were thrown for the late hit before a fracas ensued as 49ers left tackle Joe Staley ran to his QB's aid and confronted Matthews, leading to both teams coming to blows as Staley was hit with a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Both penalties offset one another but instead of losing a down, the officials mistakenly rewarded San Francisco another down. The hit did anything but startle the third year Quarterback out of Nevada and in fact fueled the Niners offense who scored on the very next play on a 10-yard touchdown connection to Anquan Boldin. Though the call didn't necessarily cost Green Bay the game, it definitely changed the complexion of it.

With the 49ers leading for most of the ballgame, the Packers took their only lead of the day in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard run in by Eddie Lacy, putting Green Bay up, 28-24. But less than three minutes later, Kaepernick and company would respond and retake the lead after a five play drive was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Frank Gore. Gore's late touchdown coupled with kicker Phil Dawson's second field goal in three tries would put San Francisco up for good as the 49ers kicked off their farewell season to the historic Candlestick Park in winning fashion with the 34-28 victory, their third straight over the cheese-heads. Kaepernick's dominant 412 yard performance gave him the most passing yards in a 49ers season opener and made him just the fifth QB in the Super Bowl era to log 400 passing yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the first game of the season. With the win, coach Jim Harbaugh became the first head coach in 49ers franchise history to win his first three season openers.

Noteworthy: The 49ers won the time of possession battle vs the Packers: 38:35 to 21:25. Defensive-end Aldon Smith who set a franchise-record with 19.5 sacks last season, got to Rodgers twice on Sunday. Boldin single-handedly matched what the WR's on his former team did in their season opener: Ravens WR's: 15 catches, 215 yards, 1 TD.

Week 2 Preview: With the game against the Packers in San Francisco's rear-view mirror, Jim Harbaugh and company looks to prepare for their Sunday Night showdown with the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. Predicted by many to dethrone the 49ers for the NFC West title this season, the Seahawks got off to a shaky start in week 1. Seattle who won their season-opener on the road against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, looked like anything but a playoff team in the 12-7 win squeaked out with the thanks of a late 4th Quarter fumble by Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams on the 8-yard line. But coach Harbaugh knows that if anything can wake a sleeping giant, it's the raucous crowd better known as the -- 12th Man at Seattle's CenturyLink Field. You can expect nothing short of a hard-hitting, trash-talking affair in the hostile environment on Sunday night which just so happens to be Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll's Birthday. A Birthday the 49ers hope to spoil by sending the Birthday boy home with a Seattle loss.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

The Magnificent Seven

Thursday evening saw the NFL kickoff the 2013 season in historic fashion as the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens began their title defense on the road against another AFC heavyweight in the Denver Broncos in a much-anticipated rematch of last year's AFC Divisional round match-up. Chosen by many (including myself) as the favorites in the AFC, the Broncos opened the season with a bang. With the game delayed more than 30 minutes due to lightning, there would be no power outage on the field as Peyton Manning and company brought plenty of electricity on offense. But by the looks of things at the half which saw Baltimore take a 17-14 lead into the locker room, the game seemed like just another day at the office for Peyton who had a pair of touchdown passes by halftime. However, the game would be anything but ordinary for the future Hall of Fame quarterback as he would go on to register a performance for the ages.

Seeking revenge against the team that put an end to Denver's Super Bowl hopes last year in an overtime thriller, Peyton Manning set out to dismantle the Ravens defense. He would do just that by leading his team to a 49-27 trouncing of the defending champs, completing 27-of-42 passes for 462 yards and tying an NFL record with seven touchdown passes, becoming only the sixth player in league history to do so and only the second player to accomplish the feat without throwing a single interception. Prior to Manning who logged an unheard of QB rating of 141.1, the last player to throw for seven touchdowns in a game was Joe Kapp of the Minnesota Vikings who reached the mark in 1969. Already regarded as one of the all-time greats to man the quarterback position, the 37-year old Peyton has once again defined greatness with what many are calling his best performance ever. Adding to his already decorated resume, Manning's stellar season-opener also gave him 23 career games with at least 4 touchdown passes which ties Brett Favre for the all-time mark as well as his seventh career game with at least 5 TD tosses, tying him with Drew Brees for the most ever.

Manning distributed his TD passes pretty evenly with pinpoint precision, connecting twice in the endzone with the newly added Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas and tight-end Julius Thomas who stole the show in the first half with Andre Caldwell being the odd man out with only one score. To put Peyton's remarkable 7-touchdown performance into perspective a tad bit easier, the Kansas City Chiefs threw for a total of 8 touchdown passes all of last year. Hall of Fame QB John Elway who is now the executive vice president of football operations for the Broncos, threw for a measly 7 touchdown passes his entire rookie season in 1983. Not to discredit Peyton in anyway but though there's been more praise of the Broncos offense, it could be as much a story on the criticism of the Ravens defense. Baltimore who didn't allow their seventh passing touchdown until week 10 last season, has already seen that total reached in their first game of the year which can't bode well for a team that's predominately known for their defense. 

While the team was somewhat expected to take a step back on defense this season following the departures of Ed Reed, Paul Kruger and the retirement of Ray Lewis, nobody expected a performance or lack there of of this magnitude. After all, no Ravens team has ever allowed 49-points in their 18-year existence. But before we start dubbing the 2013 Baltimore Ravens as the worst defense ever, let's let the dust settle and see how they bounce back at home where Thursday night's game should have been played all along. After failing to strike a deal with the Baltimore Orioles who the Ravens share a parking lot with, John Harbaugh's team was forced to open the season on the road, a rarity for defending Super Bowl champion teams and the first to do it since the 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But back to the man of the hour, Mr. Peyton Manning. I wish I had said this before the start of the season but I'm gonna go ahead and pick Peyton to win the MVP this year. After last night's performance, how could you not? Though the MVP voting polls aren't open just yet, the award is pretty much Peyton's to lose as he's an early favorite to win it.

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest