Entering Sunday's 2015 regular season finale, a few things were on the line for the San Francisco 49ers and their long-time rivals the St. Louis Rams. A win for the 49ers would mean they would avoid their worst finish since 2005 when the franchise finished with a record of 4-12. As for the Rams who could be playing football in southern California as early as next season while relocating from St. Louis to Los Angeles, a win would make it four straight victories in what's been a disappointing year for Jeff Fisher and company.
After being blown out, 27-6 in the first meeting between bitter foes, the 49ers kept it close and took a 7-3 lead after QB Blaine Gabbert connected with Anquan Boldin who broke free of a tackle and trotted into the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. Getting his second start in as many weeks at running back for the Niners was DuJuan Harris who had himself an all around nice game. Harris broke off a big gain in the second quarter that went for 48-yards and set up the first of Phil Dawson's four field goals on the afternoon. Leading 10-3, the Rams would quickly respond with scores on each of their next three drives. A pair of Greg Zuerlein field goals and a Tre Mason touchdown run from 4-yards out would put St. Louis ahead. Gabbert had a pass batted in the air and intercepted for a 42-yard return which set up the Rams' lone touchdown just two plays later. Trailing 16-10 at halftime, the 49ers would keep the Rams scoreless in the second half.
After inching closer with a field goal in the third, San Francisco tied it up with another in the fourth as the game was sent to overtime with both teams knotted up at 16. With San Francisco failing to score on the opening possession during overtime, St. Louis appeared to be on their way to a fourth consecutive victory as Zuerlein stepped up with a chance to win it with a 48-yard field goal. But after missing wide right from 52-yards earlier in the game, the day would go from bad to worse for Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein who had the potential game-winner blocked by second-year corner Dontae Johnson. The block would keep the Niners alive and give them one final chance to finish the season on top. With under five minutes to go, Gabbert completed a pass to receiver Quinton Patton who broke a tackle and nearly took it to the house before being stopped short of the end zone. The 33-yard reception would be all Phil Dawson needed in what could be his final game as a Niner, as he split the uprights one for the game-winning 23-yard field goal which led to hugs and high-fives all around. Gabbert threw for a career-high 354 yards and a touchdown, with 86 of those yards going to DuJuan Harris who led all receivers. The free-agent-to-be and journeyman who was signed to five different teams this season, rushed for a game-high 67 yards on 16 carries.
Unfortunately, one Niner would walk off the field a winner but would leave the stadium jobless. Despite the 19-16 overtime win, Niners head coach Jim Tomsula was relieved of his head coaching duties just hours after the game. In his only season at the helm, San Francisco finished 5-11 under the rookie head coach who spent a total of nine seasons with the organization, serving as the team's defensive-line coach. With the 49ers head coaching vacancy now the main focus of the offseason, who they nab next is anyone's guess at this point. But that hasn't stopped some of the early candidates from surfacing with such names as Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan, Hue Jackson and Adam Gase leading the pack, as well as the recently fired Chip Kelly who on Sunday was bounced from Philly after three seasons. As for some positive news, linebacker NaVorro Bowman added another nine tackles on Sunday to add to his league-leading 154 tackles and was named to the Pro Bowl. It might not be the last we hear of Bowman's name this year, however, as he's a prime candidate to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award after missing the entire 2014 season following his major knee injury suffered in the NFC title game two seasons ago.
2016 Preview - With the 2015 regular season in the books, the regular season opponents for 2016 have been announced as the 49ers will host the following: Saints, Buccaneers, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks. Meanwhile, they'll hit the road to face the following: Falcons, Panthers, Bills, Bears, Dolphins, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks. As for April's Draft, the 49ers sit in the top 10, owning the no. 7 pick.
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Week 16 - Heading into Detroit for their final road game of the season, the (4-10) 49ers entered Sunday's game hoping to exit the Motor City with a win and return home with a winning-streak to finish what's been a disappointing season. But with the (5-9) Lions playing their best football of the season as of late, the Niners would be put to the test. A challenge they appeared to be willing to accept as they jumped out to an early lead by scoring a touchdown on their first drive for the first time all year. It would also mark their first 1st quarter touchdown of the 2015 season.
After putting up a fight which saw the Niners not only score the first 7-points of the game, but also stick around in a back and forth first half, the San Francisco offense disappeared after halftime as they were shutout in the second half. 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin who caught his first career ball against the Lions, got things started off by becoming just the 13th player in NFL history to record 1,000 career receptions when he caught a 5-yard pass on the first play of the game. A series of runs and short passes helped San Francisco march all the way to the goal line where they put an exclamation point on the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass from QB Blaine Gabbert to tight-end Vance McDonald. The Lions answered by scoring a 36-yard field goal and a 29-yard touchdown on back to back drives to take their first lead. A fake punt in which Detroit converted a first down on a direct snap would setup the go-ahead touchdown. But Gabbert would have other plans as the Niners jumped back ahead after a 16-yard touchdown connection to Torrey Smith.
Gabbert managed to go without throwing an interception in the game but a 9-yard sack in which he fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line would cost him in the second quarter. Detroit's Joique Bell would capitalize on the very next play by scampering into the end zone for a touchdown. Niners kicker Phil Dawson would split a pair of field goals, missing a 45-yarder and making one from 40, only to be outdone by Detroit's Matt Prater who kicked a pair including one with time expiring to send his team into the locker room at the half, leading 20-17. Aside from keeping it a close game, San Francisco would also tie a season-high 17 first half points. Unfortunately, it would be all the scoring they would do as they failed to scratch a single point on the scoreboard in the second half. The 49ers shot themselves in the foot nearly all afternoon long as they were called for offsides or for being in the neutral zone seven times to set a single-game high by an NFL team this year, six of which came in the first half, the most for any team since 1993.
In what's been a nightmarish season for 49ers running backs this year with injuries sustained to Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush and now Shaun Draughn, DuJuan Harris got the nod and was one of the few bright spots for San Francisco on Sunday. Signed by San Francisco as recent as Tuesday just days before Sunday's game, Harris rushed for a career-high 73 yards to lead all players. Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne was also promoted to the team just in time for Sunday's affair and received his heaviest workload yet, rushing for 27 yards on 9 carries and catching a career-best 5 receptions for 20 yards. With both Harris and Hayne still getting their feet wet with their respected team, one name that has been around for quite awhile now in Detroit is receiver Calvin Johnson, better known as Megatron. In what may be his final home game in a Lions uniform, the ?-time Pro Bowl wide-out caught six passes for 77 yards including a fourth quarter touchdown as quarterback Matthew Stafford was sure to send his favorite target off with one last touchdown reception if he indeed plays elsewhere in 2016. Stafford threw for a pair of TD's and eclipsed the 300-yard mark with 301 yards on the afternoon, inching closer to his fifth consecutive 4,000 yard season, needing only 36-yards with one game remaining. Gabbert tallied 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns of his own, but did so in a losing effort as the Niners fell, 32-17.
Week 17 Preview - After falling to 4-11 on the season, the 49ers head back home to meet with the division-rival (7-8) St. Louis Rams where they'll hope to avoid their first four-win season since 2005. As for the Rams who are coming off a 23-17 win over the Seahawks in Seattle, St. Louis will look to finish their disappointing season by finishing with an even .500 record. And their rookie running back Todd Gurley who ran amok versus the Niners in their first meeting this year by racking up 133 yards and a touchdown, will be called upon to do the same thing a second time around. After holding Detroit to fewer than 90-yards on Sunday, the 49er run defense will once again need a strong effort in this one if they plan to end 2015 on a high note and avenge the 27-6 loss to St. Louis earlier this year.
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Week 15 - Sunday's meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals was a clash between two teams going in completely opposite directions. With a win by the visiting Bengals, Cincinnati would clinch a playoff spot. But with backup QB AJ McCarron making his first career start, a win would have to be fought for. And with former Alabama quarterbacks a combined 0-13 since 1987, McCarron would be called upon to buck the trend while filling in for the injured Andy Dalton. After a scoreless first quarter which saw the 49ers force a turnover on downs as the Bengals elected to go for it on a fourth and 1 attempt, Cincinnati would get things going in the second.
Forcing three 49er turnovers in the second quarter, the Bengals capitalized on two of them, jumping out to a double-digit lead. Two of the miscues would be dealt to quarterback Blaine Gabbert as tight-end Vance McDonald had a pair of dropped passes result in interceptions, meanwhile, Anquan Boldin had a would-be first down reception stripped from his grasp as he went down, fumbling the ball. Bengals running back Jeremy Hill scored the first two of Cincy's three second quarter touchdowns with a pair of 1-yard runs at the goal line. The third being thru the air as McCarron's only touchdown pass on the afternoon went to a wide-open Tyler Kroft on a 20-yard dart to the rookie tight-end. Trailing 24-0, the Niners would finally get on the board after recovering a Jeremy Hill fumble as he was ran into by his own teammate. Five plays later, the offense would punch it in as fullback Bruce Miller recorded his first career touchdown with a 1-yard run up the middle. After blocking a field goal attempt a week ago versus Cleveland, the Niners had one of their own blocked on Sunday as kicker Phil Dawson who had made his last 19 field goal attempts, watched number twenty hit the hand of a Bengals defender.
With Anquan Boldin zeroing in on 1,000 career receptions, the 13-year veteran caught 8 passes for 74 yards on Sunday including one for a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that pulled San Francisco within two scores. The 49ers would recover the ensuing on-side kick following the touchdown, but Gabbert would be picked off in the end zone for a third time just two plays later, helping Cincy seal the 24-20 victory. Despite holding the Bengals to less than 200 yards thru the air and only 68 yards on the ground, the four 49er turnovers including three by Blaine Gabbert who threw for 295 yards, were too much for the 49ers to overcome on a day they fell behind, 24-0. As for McCarron who played turnover-free football while passing for 192 yards and a touchdown, the two-time National Champion with the Crimson Tide, became the first Alabama alum to win a game as the starting QB since Jeff Rutledge of the Giants in 1987. With the win, the Bengals improved to 11-3 and clinched their fifth straight playoff berth with an AFC North division title still up for grabs and next on their Christmas wishlist. As for San Francisco, the loss dropped the 49ers to 4-10 on the year and guarantees them their first last place finish in the NFC West since 2005.
Week 16 Preview - In what will be their final road game of the season, the 49ers head north to take on the (5-9) Detroit Lions. Already eliminated from playoff contention, Matt Stafford and company will look to finish the season strong in what could potentially be the final home game for Lions receiver Calvin Johnson who's in the final year of his contract. Coming off a 35-27 win on the road over the Saints, Detroit hopes to make it consecutive wins. The 49ers on the other hand are just hoping to complete the 2015 season on a high note coming off another string of back to back losses.
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Week 13 - With the 49ers in Chicago to face off with the (5-6) Bears, San Francisco head coach Jim Tomsula found himself going up against a former colleague -- Vic Fangio who served four seasons as the Niners defensive coordinator before landing the same job title in the windy city during the offseason, as well as Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase whom Tomsula beat out for the head coaching job. In what would be a struggle offensively for most of the game by both teams, the game would have to be decided in overtime.
After three and outs in each of San Francisco's first two possessions, the Bears took an early 6-0 lead on a pair of Robbie Gould field goals. Celebrating his 34th birthday, the rest of the day would be one to forget for the longtime Chicago kicker. Seeking their first 1st quarter touchdown of the season, the Niners would strike pay dirt in the form of a Jimmie Ward interception he took to the house. Playing in Chicago for the first time not far from Northern Illinois University where he played collegiately before being selected in the first round of last year's Draft, the interception marked the first of Ward's career, helping put his team on the board and end a first quarter touchdown-less drought that had reached 11 games. Kicker Phil Dawson would fail to tack on the ensuing PAT, however, as the 49ers suffered their first missed extra-point since 2003. With the game tied at 6, both teams would exchange rushing touchdowns as Matt Forte scored for Chicago, only to be matched by San Francisco's Shaun Draughn who scored his first touchdown in a Niner uniform.
The game would remain tied at 13 heading into the 4th quarter. It would be there where the Bears and 49ers would once again exchange rushing touchdowns, this time by a pair of unlikely recipients as both Ka'Deem Carey and Blaine Gabbert logged the first rushing touchdowns of their career, both capping six-play drives in the 4th quarter. Carey's would come first as he found the end zone from 4-yards out, followed by the longest rush of the season by a 49er -- a 44-yard scramble up the middle by Gabbert who showed athleticism on the play that nobody knew he had as San Francisco once again tied the game at 20 apiece. But Gabbert's late-game heroics were nearly erased on the ensuing kick as the 49ers special teams surrendered a 74-yard return to Deonte Thompson with under two minutes remaining. The return would put Chicago in position to win as Bears head coach John Fox called on Gould to kick his team to victory. But after missing his previous attempt in the third quarter, nothing was promised. And from 36-yards out, the Bears' Pro Bowl kicker shanked the kick wide left, spoiling his birthday and sending the game into overtime. It would mark the first game of Gould's career in which he missed a pair of field goals 41-yards or fewer.
With both teams going three and out on their first possession in overtime, Gabbert wasted little time on San Francisco's second drive as he aired it out along the left sideline where he found Torrey Smith all alone for the 71-yard walk-off touchdown. Prior to his game-winning reception which led to his 49er teammates mobbing him in the end zone, Smith had one catch for five yards. Gabbert threw for 196 yards on the day and led the team in rushing with another 75 yards as the 49ers pulled off the 26-20 overtime victory. Chicago's Jay Cutler threw for 202 yards in a losing effort as San Francisco claimed their first road win of the season and first of Tomsula's career. Niners receiver Anquan Boldin caught five passes for 37 yards, helping him reach 13,000 career receiving yards in what's been a stalwart career in the NFL and one that could very well result in a Hall of Fame induction one day.
Week 14 Preview - At 4-8 on the year, the 49ers will look to build their first winning-streak of the season when they pay a visit to Cleveland to take on the 2-10 Browns. Coming off a 37-3 shellacking by their inner-state rivals the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns are looking to bounce back at Home. Having endured quarterback trouble of their own this season, Cleveland has decided to name Johnny Manziel their starting QB heading into Sunday's game. While Manziel gives the Browns their best chance of winning games over fellow QB's Josh McCown who's now injured and Austin Davis, the former Heisman Trophy winner is coming off a 2-game absence as Cleveland coach Mike Pettine decided to discipline his young QB after videos of Manziel partying in his native Texas surfaced over the internet. The Niner defense will look to keep the duel threat quarterback at bey with another stellar showing on defense and build on their first road victory of the season.
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Week 11 - Entering Sunday's road game versus division rival Seattle, the 49ers were more than happy to hear that they wouldn't have to contain Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch as he was sidelined with an abdominal injury. But instead, they would receive a rude awakening. Despite being without their Pro Bowl running back in Lynch who's made a habit out of torturing the 49ers, the Seahawks did just fine on the ground on Sunday. In fact, they would do better as rookie Thomas Rawls had a historic day by rushing for a career-high 209 yards and adding another 46 yards receiving just hours after learning he would get the start. Rawls' outburst on the ground was second to only Shaun Alexander's 266 yard performance in 2001 for the best in franchise history as the undrafted rookie became only the third Sehawk to ever rush for 200 yards in a game, something Marshawn Lynch has never accomplished in his NFL career. It would also mark the first time the 49ers have ever allowed a 200-yard rusher in the history of their franchise.
Though Rawls led the way with 255 total yards and a pair of touchdowns, he wasn't the only rookie making plays as the 49er defense had a hard time figuring out Seattle's receiver and third round draft pick Tyler Lockett who caught two of Russell Wilson's three touchdown passes. For the second consecutive week, the game began with Blaine Gabbert as the 49ers starting quarterback. And before you knew it, San Francisco was starring down a 20-0 hole before the Niners finally made it onto the scoreboard. Considering the game was at Seattle's CenturyLink Field where the 49ers offense has often came up missing over the past several years, Gabbert had himself a pretty decent game throwing for a game-high 264 yards, four more than Wilson who had a near perfect day, completing 24 of his 29 pass attempts. However, Gabbert was unable to match Wilson in the touchdown department as he marched his team down the field several times but was only able to capitalize with one touchdown as he found 49ers tight-end Vance McDonald 19-yards out for a touchdown. It would be McDonald's first touchdown of his career and the only one on the day for San Francisco.
Unlike Colin Kaepernick who couldn't seem to avoid the turnovers when playing in Seattle, Gabbert logged a clean sheet as the 49ers managed to play a turnover-free ballgame. But that wouldn't matter as the San Francisco defense missed a plethora of tackles and made it far too easy for Seattle's offense to run up and down the field, eventually pulling off the 29-13 win as the 49ers once again fell flat coming out of a BYE week to fall to 3-7 on the year. Meanwhile, Seattle improved to .500 on the season at 5-5. 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin who was questionable to play prior to kickoff, managed to tough it out and finished the game with 5 receptions and 93 yards after missing the previous two games while nursing a hamstring injury. Ineffective once again, the Niners run game mustered only 59 yards as the team continues to miss their second-year running back Carlos Hyde who hasn't played since Week 7 when the 49ers hosted Seattle on Thursday Night Football.
Week 12 Preview - Heading back home to Levi's Stadium in Week 12, the 49ers will get set to host the (8-2) Arizona Cardinals who are in commanding lead of first place in the NFC Western Division and are currently riding a 4-game winning-streak after back-to-back Sunday Night wins against Seattle and Cincinnati. Having scored a league-high 40 touchdowns this season, the Cardinals offense will serve a formidable challenge for San Francisco who on the other hand has scored a league-low 13 touchdowns this year. And after the 47-7 beating the Cards served up on the Niners in Week 3, there's no better way for Jim Tomsula's team to repay Arizona than sending them back to the desert with an upset loss as San Francisco still seeks their first division win of 2015. Easier said than done, however, as the Cardinals lead the league with an average of 417 yards per game this season, an area that has been much improved over the past few weeks with Arizona recently finding its identity in the run game, coupled with QB Carson Palmer's stellar play.
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Week 6 - Meeting for the first time since Super Bowl XLVII just three seasons ago, Sunday's match-up between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, both of whom entered the game last in their respective division's at 1-4, took on the look of two entirely different teams than the ones that met in the Super Bowl. Out of the 44 starters in that Super Bowl, a combined 10 remain on that team today. And unlike that game which ended in disappointment for San Francisco fans, it was the 49ers who prevailed on Sunday. Niners QB Colin Kaepernick would build off of his best outing of the season just a week ago, a heart-wrenching loss to the Giants, with an even better performance in this one.
Throwing for a season-high 340 passing yards, Kaepernick connected on long passes to Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin who had big games against their former team as well as fullback Bruce Miller who totaled a career-best 89-yards receiving on three receptions. The biggest play of the game coming on a career-high 76-yard touchdown reception by Smith. On the play, Smith torched Ravens cornerback Shareece Wright who signed with the 49ers during the offseason and demanded to be released just a week ago. Picked up by the Ravens, the Baltimore defender was exploited all afternoon long as Boldin burned his former teammate on a 51-yard reception in the fourth quarter to put him over 100 yards receiving in the game, which then set up a 21-yard touchdown catch by Quinton Patton, the first of his career. Scrambling in and out of the pocket, Kaepernick found Patton wide-open in the end zone after Wright slipped on the play, adding salt to the wound and making his disappointing Ravens debut that much worse. The Niner defense also did their part as the Ravens ground attack was held to just 76 yards.
Baltimore's Joe Flacco threw for 343 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but was picked off twice on the afternoon. In a last-ditch effort and a chance to hand the Niners consecutive last-minute losses, the former Super Bowl MVP heaved one into the end zone only to have the ball batted down by San Francisco safety Eric Reid, sealing the victory for the 49ers. The win, San Francisco's first since Week 1, helped the Niners end a four-game losing streak and snap a six-game losing skid to the Ravens who fell to 1-5 on the season, their worst start in franchise history through the first six games. Despite having to settle for four Phil Dawson field goals in the 25-20 win, a number of nifty passes by Kaepernick, including two for touchdowns, helped stave off a 5-game losing streak and breathe life into an offense that has looked much improved from the offense that struggled out of the gates. Then again, Baltimore's defense isn't quite what it once was.
Week 7 Preview - With a short week ahead prior to the 49ers next game -- a Thursday night showdown with the arch-rival (2-4) Seattle Seahawks who are coming off a last-minute loss at home to the undefeated Carolina Panthers, San Francisco will look to claim their first win in the division and first winning-streak of 2015. While the 49ers have mirrored a completely different team this season than the one that made three consecutive trips to the NFC Championship which ended a season ago, the Seahawks have yet to look like a playoff team this season either and appear to be suffering from a Super Bowl hangover, having already blown a number of fourth quarter leads this year, including in back to back games (losses to Cincinnati and Carolina). And if not for an illegal tip in the end zone late in their Monday night meeting against the Lions three weeks ago, Seattle would be starring down a 1-5 record right now. Even given their recent struggles and new faces, these are still two teams that don't like each other as both teams look to shed the title of "last-place" in the division.
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Week 5 - Entering Sunday's meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants who hosted on Sunday Night Football, the match-up featured two teams going in complete opposite directions as the Niners have fallen into last place in the division with three straight losses, meanwhile the Giants have won their last two after opening the season 0-2. With a combined 10-points scored over the last two games for the visiting 49ers, scoring wouldn't be a problem for coach Jim Tomsula's team in this one, but rather their inability to sack the quarterback and keep the opposing team from scoring. While it was the defense that kept San Francisco in the game just a week ago versus Green Bay, on Sunday night it would be their demise as the defense cost them the game.
Much of the chatter over the past few weeks regarding the 49ers was about their quarterback Colin Kaepernick and whether or not it was time to pull the plug on the QB that led them to a Super Bowl just three seasons ago. But with a solid performance on Sunday, Kaepernick was able to silence the naysayers for the time being. With a first half filled with field goals, the Giants went into the locker room holding a 13-6 lead, an advantage that would've been more had it not been for a Tremaine Brock interception in the end zone that kept New York from adding to their lead just before the half. San Francisco would finally score their first touchdown in eight quarters to start the second half as Anquan Boldin capped off an 88-yard drive with a touchdown reception from 3-yards out, tying the game and igniting a back and forth scoring frenzy between the two teams. Giants star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. helped New York answer as Eli Manning escaped a sack by dumping a pass off to his favorite target who sprinted through the middle and along the sideline for a 17-yard score. It would be the last of Beckham Jr.'s receptions on the night as he spent nearly the entire fourth quarter on the sideline with an ailing hamstring.
Then came a pair of impressive fourth quarter scoring-drives by the San Francisco offense which marched 80-yards on back to back possessions. The first of which ending in a touchdown pass to tight-end Garrett Celek who filling in for the injured Vernon Davis, shook off a defender with a nice juke move to separate himself for the wide-open pass. Seeking their first lead of the game with under five minutes in regulation, Kaepernick connected thru the air on back to back passes to Boldin and Torrey Smith for gains of 25 and 26 yards before running back Carlos Hyde added the finishing touch with a 2-yard touchdown run as the 49ers pulled ahead. Unfortunately, the 1 minute and 45 seconds San Francisco left on the clock would prove to be too much time as Eli Manning came through in the clutch once again, pulling off yet another game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. The 2-time Super Bowl MVP capped off a career-best 41 completions on the night with his last pass being a game-winner between two 49er defenders as Manning hooked up with tight-end Larry Donnell in the back of the endzone with 26 seconds remaining to escape the Giants from the jaws of defeat and rob the Niners of their first road victory of the season. With the 30-27 win, Eli Manning threw for 441 yards and a trio of TD passes all while becoming the winningest QB in Giants franchise history by notching career win No. 102. Kaepernick logged two touchdown passes of his own while passing for 262 yards, 107 of which going to Anquan Boldin. RB Carlos Hyde added 93 yards on the ground and a touchdown in the loss.
Week 6 Preview - The 49ers return home to Levi's Stadium in hopes of claiming their first win since Week 1 when they face another 1-4 team desperate for a victory -- the Baltimore Ravens. The Week 6 meeting will mark the first game between the two teams since they met at Super Bowl XLVII three seasons ago, a 34-31 defeat for the Niners. Unless you know your history, it might be hard to believe that these two teams are three seasons removed from meeting in the Super Bowl considering their recent struggles. A number of faces have also changed for each team as receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith now call San Francisco home after winning a championship ring in Baltimore. However, the duo will now be trying to defeat the team they once played for as the 49ers attempt to get off the schneide and back into the win column before a divisional match-up with rival Seattle. With tight-end Vernon Davis sitting out the last two games while nursing a knee injury, the Niners are expecting to have the Pro Bowler back on the field Sunday which serves as good news for an offense hoping to register another impressive performance, only this time with a victory.
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With the 49ers already eliminated from playoff contention, there was still plenty to play for in Sunday's season-finale against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. While a win was needed for San Francisco to finish the season at .500, both Frank Gore and Anquan Boldin had their eyes set on reaching personal milestones. With Frank Gore needing only 38 yards rushing to reach the 1,000 yard mark for the eighth time in ten seasons and Anquan Boldin knocking on the door of back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons receiving, both would reach their quotas by the end of the day.
Entering the game, Cardinals QB Ryan Lindley had not thrown a touchdown pass in a record 228 pass attempts, the longest dry spell to begin a career. But by the time this one was over, he would throw not one but two touchdowns including one on Arizona's opening drive as he connected with receiver Michael Floyd on a flea-flicker from 20-yards out. Colin Kaepernick and the 49er offense would need only three plays to answer with a touchdown of their own as Kap found a wide-open Anquan Boldin down the middle for a 76-yard score to tie the game at 7. Though San Francisco would pull ahead with a 13-7 lead on a pair of Phil Dawson field goals in the second quarter, it was Arizona who would take a 17-13 lead into the half as Lindley connected with Floyd for a second time, this one coming from 41-yards out just before halftime.
With the 49ers having played their best ball offensively all season during the first half of games only to vanish come the start of the second half, the San Francisco offense was once again only able to score once in the second half, but it would be all they needed in this one. Kaepernick and Gore teamed up to march the team down the field with their legs before Kaepernick found a wide-open Bruce Miller in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score. With the Niners leading 20-17, the Cardinals were given one final chance to tie or pull ahead with possession at the start of the 2-minute warning but the San Francisco defense would come up big, intercepting Lindley for a third time as safety Craig Dahl out muscled receiver John Brown for the ball in mid-air. After coming up with the game-sealing interception, Dahl sprinted to the sideline and handed the ball to coach Jim Harbaugh who was later given a Gatorade bath by his players in what many have speculated will be his final game as head coach.
Even before the final whistle was blown on Sunday, Jim Harbaugh's future with the team was all the buzz. Another Niner who's future with the organization is questionable is that of running back Frank Gore who in the final year of his contract with the team, became one of only eleven players to rack up eight or more seasons of 1,000 yards rushing and only the second active player with such numbers alongside Steven Jackson. While it's not yet known if Sunday's 20-17 win over the Cardinals was the final game for Frank Gore in a 49er uniform or any other uniform for that matter, the 5-time Pro Bowler has proved that he still plenty of gas left in his tank. Gore finished the game rushing for 144 yards on 25 carries. Meanwhile, receiver Anquan Boldin caught two passes for 81 yards on the afternoon to become one of only four players in franchise history to log consecutive 1,000 yard seasons receiving.
As for Colin Kaepernick who managed to play turnover-free football, the 49er QB threw for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Arizona's Ryan Lindley threw for 316 yards and a pair of touchdowns while being picked off three times in a losing effort. With the win, the 49ers closed the season at .500 for an even 8-8 record and deprived the (11-5) Arizona Cardinals of their first 12-win season in franchise history.
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The San Francisco 49ers have made a habit out of winning in ugly fashion this season including back to back victories on the road by single-digits, but their latest win might take the cake. With sights on a playoff spot despite their bumpy start, the 49ers can ill-afford another loss at home to a mediocre team. But a series of turnovers and continued offensive woes nearly spelled doom for Jim Harbaugh and company versus the 3-7 Washington Redskins who have had problems of their own on offense this season.
However, the game couldn't have begun any better for the 49ers who after forcing a three and out on Washington's opening-possession, scored an early touchdown on a 30-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick to Anquan Boldin. It would be the 18th consecutive game with at least one touchdown pass for the Niners QB, tying the franchise record held by Hall of Famer Steve Young. The Redskins would tie the game in the second quarter on a 1-yard run in by running back Alfred Morris who logged a big day with 125 yards rushing and a TD, his first 100-yard performance in 18 tries for Washington. But a spectacular grab near the sideline by 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree on a gutsy fourth down call just before the half, would set up a go-ahead field goal by kicker Phil Dawson to send his team into the locker room with a 10-7 lead.
The 49ers would fail to carry that momentum with them into the second half, though, as a pair of turnovers made the game much closer than it should have been. After logging his first fumble of the season last week in New York, Frank Gore fumbled for the second time in as many games on Sunday. With the game tied, Washington would capitalize on the miscue by putting up a field goal and taking a 13-10 lead with under 8 minutes remaining in regulation. Though it would take them 11 games, the Niner offense finally logged their first fourth-quarter touchdown of the season under Kaepernick and it couldn't have came at a better time as Carlos Hyde rumbled his way into the end zone from 4-yards out for the go-ahead score. The only other offensive TD in the fourth quarter by the 49ers this season came in the winding minutes of the blowout loss in Denver when backup QB Blaine Gabbert connected with rookie WR Bruce Ellington.
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III who threw for only 106 yards and was brought down five times on the afternoon, would be given one last chance to lead his team to victory, but he would be sacked and stripped of the ball by Justin Smith. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks who had been in the news lately after being accused of quitting on the team during San Francisco's most recent road trip, came up with the ball to seal the third straight win for the 49ers who overcame three turnovers in the ballgame. Aldon Smith also recorded his first pair of sacks on the season in his second game back as the 49er defense once again stepped up big when called upon. Colin Kaepernick logged 256 yards passing on the afternoon with more than half of them going to Anquan Boldin who had a monster day catching 9 of Kaep's 20 pass completions including his lone touchdown pass on the afternoon.
Week 13 Preview: Week 13 will feature a Thanksgiving showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the visiting Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of last year's NFC title game. With both teams at 7-4 in the NFC West and set to renew their rivalries, the winner of this one could very well determine who claims a Wild Card spot if both teams don't. And with San Francisco still having a trip to Seattle on their calendar, it might as well be a win or go home mentality for Jim Harbaugh's squad. Facing one another for the first time since last year's NFC Championship which many including myself consider to be the real Super Bowl, the hate these teams have for one another hasn't died down over time and in fact might get even more chippy given its the holiday with Black Friday right around the corner. As for Settle who's coming off a win at Home versus the division-leading Arizona Cardinals (9-2), a win for Pete Carroll's team against a bitter rival would do wonders for the club moving forward who hopes to keep their chances at winning back-to-back titles alive. If the Niners defense which has been stellar the last several weeks can contain Marshawn Lynch and force Russell Wilson to make plays, they can keep their playoff hopes alive. But it's their offense that is of the most concern to me as Seattle will take advantage of the poor play the 49ers have recently been putting out there.
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On a night Monday Night Football celebrated its 700th game, the (3-2) San Francisco 49ers squared off against the (1-3) St. Louis Rams in a battle of NFC Western division foes. For the visiting 49ers who won both meetings between the two teams last season, it was yet another sloppy performance to begin the game as St. Louis took an early lead on their opening possession with a touchdown scoring drive. And before you knew it, the Rams had jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter advantage following an impressive drive led by St. Louis' Austin Davis who began the season as the team's third string quarterback. After handing the ball off to Benny Cunningham for the 1-yard score, Davis connected 22-yards out with receiver Lance Kendricks for the team's second touchdown in the opening period.
49ers QB Colin Kaepernick appeared to have his team heading in the right direction on their second offensive drive when he made back to back 20+ yard passes, but the second one would be fumbled by second-year tight-end Vance McDonald. The turnover would set up St. Louis' second touchdown several plays later. But from then on, the 49er defense would snap out of whatever funk they began the game with, allowing only 3 points the rest of the way. Niners running back Frank Gore who has made a living off of destroying the Rams throughout his career while logging some of his most memorable performances, was rather quiet in this one. St. Louis, who entered Monday night's match ranked 31st in run defense, logged a solid performance against a San Francisco ground attack which had averaged 145 yards rushing per game this year, holding Gore to just 38-yards on 16 carries and rookie Carlos Hyde to just 14-yards on 11 attempts. Unfortunately for the Rams defense, they would have no answer for Kaepernick and the 49ers' aerial assault.
With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half, Colin Kaepernick hit receiver Brandon Lloyd who had broke free down the sideline and hauled in an 80-yard touchdown pass to pull his team within four points and steal away the momentum just before halftime. The 80-yard score would be Lloyd's first of the season as well as the longest touchdown of Kaepernick's career at either the college or pro level. It would also be the first 80+ yard TD pass in the last :15 seconds of the first half since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970 for the Niners. With San Francisco now in the driver's seat, beginning the second half with the ball, Kaepernick would complete the comeback by orchestrating a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Having led the league in both passer rating and passing touchdowns while throwing outside of the pocket since 2012 with 21 TD's, Kaepernick added another with a beauty to his most reliable target in Anquan Boldin. But the 49ers QB wouldn't be done there. Two drives later Kaepernick would find Michael Crabtree down the middle for a 32-yard touchdown.
After a St. Louis field goal late in the fourth quarter, the Rams pulled within a touchdown and had plans of tying the game with just over a minute remaining. For the Niners who had let a pair of earlier opportunities go by the wayside when two wide-open tight-ends collided in the end zone and another on a goal-line stand, San Francisco was still seeking its first fourth quarter touchdown of the season. And thanks to rookie defensive back Dontae Johnson's pick-six, they would finally get one. On a pass intended for receiver Kenny Britt, Rams QB Austin Davis would be picked off as Johnson undercut the target and returned the interception 20-yards to seal the win. Kaepernick threw for 343 yards (the second most of his career) and 3 touchdowns while adding another 37 yards on the ground and becoming the first QB in NFL history to win his first four Monday Night Football appearances as the 49ers were able to shake off their first quarter rust. After falling behind 14-0, San Francisco scored 24 unanswered-points in route to a 31-17 win.
Coming into the game, Rams QB Austin Davis was one of only two NFL quarterbacks to throw for over 300 yards and 3+ touchdowns in two of his first 3 starts, the other being Rams great Kurt Warner back in 1999. The 49ers defense prevented that streak from reaching a third game by logging yet another stellar performance in the second half.
Week 7 Preview: With the (4-2) 49ers now riding a 3-game winning streak, they'll be put to the test in Week 7 if they plan to improve that mark as they get set to pay a visit to the Mile High city to face Peyton Manning and the 4-1 Denver Broncos. Chosen by many to potentially meet in the Super Bowl this season, the 49ers will definitely have their hands full as they look to hold off the reigning NFL MVP who's thrown at least 3 touchdowns in 6 of his last 7 games and needs only 3 TD passes to break Brett Favre's record and become the all-time leader. The San Francisco defense figures to make it a difficult task for Manning to accomplish as only three QB's have been able to register a 3 touchdown game versus the 49ers since the start of last season. However, they might be without their leader on defense as linebacker Patrick Willis who sat out of the second half of Monday night's game with a toe injury, is not expected to play on Sunday.
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For the first time since the start of the Jim Harbaugh era in San Francisco, the 49ers are below .500. Their 1-2 record could easily be 3-0 if not for two key factors that have haunted the 49ers in each of their last two games -- penalties and the disappearance of the Niners offense that is still seeking its first score in the fourth quarter this season. For Colin Kaepernick and company, the story has been: play dominantly in the first two quarters, only to roll over and play dead in the second half where they've been outscored 52-3 through the first three weeks of the season. This is evident to the +43 point differential the Niners own in the first half of games where they've outscored opponents, 59-16.
After allowing a field goal on Arizona's game opening drive, Kaepernick led the 49er offense on consecutive 80-yard touchdown drives in each of their first two possessions by finding Michael Crabtree in the end zone for one and handing it off to rookie running back Carlos Hyde on the other. San Francisco took a 14-6 lead into the locker room at the half where they would appear to leave their offense and the ability to score like they've done so often this year. Even without one of his favorite targets in Pro-Bowl tight-end Vernon Davis, Colin Kaepernick managed to have a nice game throwing the ball, completing 29 of 37 pass attempts for 245 yards and a career-high 78.4 completion percentage, but it came at a cost. The 49ers QB ran the ball a total of 12 times, three times more than running backs Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde combined and as a result, abandoned a key component that the San Francisco offense thrives on and is when the 49ers are at their best. Just the latest not so brilliant decision by Niners offensive-coordinator Greg Roman. All-time 49ers rusher Frank Gore who saw only six carries for 10 yards on the afternoon, watched much of the game from the sidelines and was none to pleased about the team's pass-happy offense and chose not to talk to the media following Sunday's game.
And then there was the officiating which for the second straight week proved to be a thorn in the side of the 49ers who lead the league in penalties and were penalized another nine times for 107 yards. One penalty that proved to be costly among the countless other bogus calls called on defense, was one called against Niners receiver Anquan Boldin who was tacked for unnecessary roughness which knocked San Francisco out of the red zone. They eventually had to settle for a field goal attempt which was then blocked, preventing the Niners from scoring in the fourth quarter for the third time in as many games this season as Jim Harbaugh's team was outscored 17-0 in the second half. A number of other penalties were called on multiple clean hits on the quarterback that were called otherwise, giving Arizona good field position throughout much of the game. Filling in for the injured Carson Palmer, Cardinals backup QB Drew Stanton logged his second straight game without a turnover, throwing for 244 yards and a pair of TD's, both to rookie wide-out John Brown in the 23-14 win. For Arizona who enters Week 4 atop the NFC West at 3-0 and with a BYE week, the victory snaps a four-game losing streak to the Niners and marks just their second win vs San Francisco in 11 tries.
Week 4 Preview: Turning the page to next week, the 49ers return home to Levi's Stadium where they hope to win their first game in their new home. It won't come easy, however, as Jim Harbaugh's club welcomes Chip Kelly's 3-0 Philadelphia Eagles. Having been a shell of their first half selves in all three games this season, San Francisco can ill afford another performance in Week 4 as it just so happens that Philly is the best second half team in the league thus far, having outscored opponents by 50-points after halftime. Oh and just to throw it out there, referee Ed Hochuli who will be in charge of officiating next week's game will be leading an officiating crew that averages 19.5 penalties a game this year... One name the 49ers will have a close eye on entering the game will be their very own Vernon Davis who sat out of Week 3's loss with an injured left ankle. Without Davis in the lineup, the 49ers are 0-4 under coach Harbaugh.
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Only a month after the last snap of the 2013 NFL season and into the offseason and we've already got one of the more juicy coaching situations developing in the Bay Area. Since the firing of coach Steve Mariucci following the 2002 season, the San Francisco 49ers have looked high and low in search of a winning head coach to no avail. That was until 2011 when the 49ers handed the reigns to Jim Harbaugh who made the leap to the pros after a successful run at Stanford where he coached the program to its first Bowl win since 1996. Even prior to his tenure at Stanford, Harbaugh had tasted victory while at the University of San Diego where he won consecutive Pioneer League titles. So it was no surprise Harbaugh translated his winning ways to the professional level. The speed he did it in, however, was.
Sure he inherited a team rich in young talent, but it was one in need of guidance which Harbaugh supplied along with a system to buy into. Since the marriage that landed him in San Francisco, the 49ers have been one of the most winningest teams in the National Football League. Through three seasons, the 49ers are 41-14-1 (including playoffs) and have made it to three straight NFC title games as well as a Super Bowl appearance under Harbaugh who was named Coach of the Year in his first season and has done virtually everything but hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Something he came one play shy of in 2012. All things considered, the 49ers have finally found themselves a stable coach. However, reports as recent as last week had the 49ers front-office on the verge of sending Harbaugh on his way. News broke out that the relationship between Harbaugh and Niners GM Trent Baalke was a rocky one and has been for some time once trade talks began brewing with San Francisco possibly shipping Harbaugh to Cleveland after the Browns contacted the 49ers and inquired about their coach.
The negotiations that didn't last long before being put to bed were more than enough to send the sports world and social media networks alike, buzzing for days. Team owner Jed York confirmed the story by saying talks were made and discussions were had but nothing further came of it. But the first mistake the 49ers made was listening to the offer in the first place which regardless if the deal goes through or not, can only spell doom for a front-office and their relationship with a head coach moving forward, not to mention one that has already bumped heads with the GM. With the 49ers on the cusp of greatness and a sixth Super Bowl title on the horizon, the team would be stupid to show Harbaugh the door simply because there's no better coach that's currently available to fill the void.
As for those that are pointing the finger at Harbaugh and believe he's the one threatening to leave in favor of a head coaching position in the college ranks, consider this: Never has an NFL coach that endured such success as Harbaugh has, downgraded back to coach at the collegiate level. Why would one possibly leave a team that has made it to three straight NFC Championships and is nesting one of the brightest nucleus' of young NFL players for a college program he would have to recruit for and more than likely build from the ground up? Reports also claim Harbaugh has demanded that he wants more power in the organization as well as more money, both of which the 49ers coach has denied ever saying during an interview with Sports Illustrated where he also had nothing but positive things to say about the organization. Unlike many other feuds we've seen between a head coach and the front-office, Harbaugh has not lost the locker room as 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin told reporters shortly after agreeing to re-sign with the team on a two-year, $12 Million deal. Boldin who led the team in receiving this past season, also explained that coach Harbaugh was one of the main reasons he decided to return in the Bay Area for two more years instead of testing the market as a free-agent.
The funniest part of all might be that the media which has portrayed this whole thing as the downfall of the franchise, has already declared Harbaugh close to being on his way out after this season despite the two years remaining on his contract. The premature assumptions of Harbaugh needing an extension before his current contract is up only fuels this overblown story about the Niners possibly looking to shop their coach. A lot can happen in the course of a year including a Super Bowl victory which would be the perfect antidote to solve the ongoing dispute between Harbaugh and Baalke who's done nothing but draft star-studded talent since being named GM in 2005. While it's the GM who 49ers owner Jed York feels isn't going anywhere anytime soon and has leaned on the side of Harbaugh being the more expendable of the two according to sources, there's plenty of time between now and the start of the season for both sides to mend fences and squash this whole beef if in fact there is one.
Though often having a flair for the dramatic, Harbaugh has described both he and Baalke as being, "two competitive people that want the same thing." If that's true, they'll settle their differences and work things out for the betterment of the team. As long as San Francisco is putting up W's in the win column, the two can and will coexist on the team's quest for six.
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Standing in the way of Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers making a third straight NFC Championship appearance on Sunday was Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. Seeking revenge for a 10-9 loss suffered at Home while shorthanded against Carolina in Week 10, the 49ers entered their NFC Divisional round meeting with the Panthers as the league's most dominant road team. Having won seven consecutive games entering Sunday, four of which on the road, the 49ers made themselves feel right at home against an inexperienced Carolina team coming off a first-round BYE.
Niners QB Colin Kaepernick who was held to less than 100 yards passing in the Week 10 meeting vs the Panthers, got things started early on offense as San Francisco opened the game with a 49-yard field goal by Phil Dawson. As for Kaepernick's QB counterpart -- Cam Newton making his playoff debut would make a number of early mistakes, showing jitters on Carolina's first possession as Patrick Willis came up with an interception on a tipped pass that was thrown behind the intended receiver. Despite the good field position, the 49ers would once again have to settle for a field goal, taking a 6-0 lead. It would be a sign of bad things to come for the Panthers who for the first time all year would allow points on each of their opponents first two possessions. After the early mishap, Carolina stringed together a series of first downs on the ensuing drive before being stuffed on the 1-yard line. Facing fourth and 1, Newton talked coach Ron Rivera better known as "Riverboat Ron" into going for it. The Panthers coach would stick true to his name and take the gamble, only to see his QB get stopped in his tracks as the San Francisco defense denied him of the touchdown from 1 yard out with the goal-line stand.
But just like they did last week against Green Bay, the 49ers would witness a 6-0 lead evaporate into thin air as Carolina stormed right back with a go-ahead touchdown pass from Newton to receiver Steve Smith from 31-yards out. However, it would be their only touchdown on the day as Carolina would be stood up on the 1-yard line for the second time in the game before walking away with a field goal to make it a 10-6 Panthers lead. But San Francisco would steal the lead back and regain momentum heading into the half as Kaepernick repeatedly fed wide-out Anquan Boldin with pass after pass before connecting with Vernon Davis in the corner of the end zone for the go-ahead score. The catch was initially ruled incomplete but the officials would review the play and eventually signal for the touchdown as Davis clearly dragged his back foot in bounds before stepping out, giving the 49ers a 13-10 lead heading into the half. The flashes of offense Carolina showed in the first half would be nonexistent in the second half, meanwhile San Francisco stuck to their game plan on offense as Kaepernick hit Boldin with a 45-yard reception that set the 49ers up inside the 5-yard line before Kaepernick took it in himself to add to his team's lead.
Kaepernick who shared dorm rooms with Cam Newton in 2011 during the NFL combine and was taken 35 spots behind the Carolina QB in the NFL Draft which he didn't take kind to, gave Newton what he described as a "shout out" by putting the finishing touches on his touchdown run by mocking Newton's signature Superman celebration before giving it a twist followed by his signature kiss of the bicep. Antics that you would normally declare out of line were anything but in this chippy contest as it was Carolina who opened the game with an attitude. But like their offense, that attitude would also disappear in the second half as the Panthers found themselves trailing, 23-10. Any chance Carolina had of pulling off the comeback would be wiped out late in the fourth quarter as Newton sailed a pass over the head of his tight-end Greg Olsen, intercepted by Donte Whitner, sealing the 49ers dominant second half and more importantly the victory as San Francisco scored 17-unanswered points to close out the game.
For the second straight contest, Colin Kaepernick didn't exactly log an awe-inspiring performance through the air but he got the job done, completing 15 of 28 pass attempts for 196 yards, 136 of them to Anquan Boldin on 8 receptions, and a touchdown while adding only 15 yards rushing. Aside from Boldin, no other 49er receiver hauled in more than three receptions or logged more than 30 yards receiving on the day. Running back Frank Gore contributed 84 yards on the ground on 17 carries.
With the win, the 49ers have now punched their ticket to the NFC Championship for the third consecutive season and become the first team to reach at least three straight conference championships since the Philadelphia Eagles made four consecutive appearances from 2001-04. Jim Harbaugh also becomes the first coach in NFL history to reach three consecutive title games in his first three seasons at the helm. Since their last loss in Week 12, the 49ers have been on a roll winning 8 straight with a point-differential of +81.
NFC Championship Preview: The 49ers win over Carolina now sets up a showdown between two defensive heavyweights in Seattle and San Francisco, a match-up fans have been licking their chops for since the start of the season. Not only will Sunday's game feature two teams and fan bases that dislike each other but a pair of coaches that dislike one another as well dating back to Harbaugh's time at Stanford and Pete Carroll's stay at USC. Since Kaepernick took over the reigns of the starting quarterback position, the 49ers are a perfect 3-0 in road playoff games and have already eclipsed the win total of Joe Montana and Steve Young combined who finished 1-7 in road playoff games while under center in San Francisco. But his next task will be by far the hardest as the 49ers take a stroll to the familiar but unfriendly confines of Seattle's CenturyLink Field, a place Kaepernick has played in twice and left empty handed both times as Seattle outscored San Francisco by a combined score of 71-16. Usually the story line when these two teams meet is a lot like this: the home team wins. A trend the 49ers plan to change now that they've got some unfinished business in mind and are looked upon as being the league's most prominent road team.
Could the third time be a charm for Kaepernick and co.? If so, the 49ers can become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win road games in four consecutive weeks. However, it won't be easy to accomplish and could very well come down to how well they defend Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch. The 49ers who haven't allowed a 100 yard rusher all season long, know they'll have their work cut out for them on Sunday as they face a tall order in Lynch who owns three 100-yard performances against the 49ers dating back to 2011. Another factor will be how well the San Francisco offense can block out the noise level created by Seattle's raucous crowd, something that'll be easier said than done considering the Seahawks box office banned ticket sales to California natives in hopes of keeping 49er fans as far away from the game as possible. One thing the 49ers won't have to worry about, however, is Seahawks receiver Percy Harvin who will miss Sunday's game with a concussion. With two of the game's brightest young quarterbacks in Kaepernick and Russell Wilson set to take center stage and face off against one another, the game could very well come down to which QB can out perform the other down the stretch and not turn the ball over.
As we seen demonstrated in Week 16 when the Arizona Cardinals left the hostile environment of the 12th Man with a win, Seattle, like any team can be beaten at home. But given it'll be a playoff atmosphere, the odds will be that much harder to overcome. A challenge coach Harbaugh and his team will gladly welcome. Don't expect a shortage of trash-talking in this one. #QuestForSix
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Heading into Sunday's game to face the Arizona Cardinals (10-5), the 49ers who had already clinched a playoff berth, had plans of leaving the desert with a win in hopes of improving their seeding. As for the Cardinals, Carson Palmer and company needed a win against their division-rivals and a loss from the Saints in order to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Unfortunately for them, they would get neither. Winners of three in a row and four of their last five, Arizona would run into a brick wall that is the San Francisco 49ers who have beaten the Cardinals in nine of their last 10 meetings. But after squandering a 17-point lead in the first quarter, it appeared San Francisco's reign over their division foe was in danger.
After opening the game with 17 unanswered-points in the opening period by way of a Phil Dawson field goal and a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers would find themselves struggling to score again until late in the fourth quarter. But in San Francisco's dominant first quarter, Arizona would get a heavy dose of former Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin early on. Boldin who starred in three Pro Bowls over seven seasons with the Cardinals where he set numerous records (most of which he still holds to this day) before being dealt to the Ravens in 2010, would remind Cardinal fans of his talent. In his first game in Arizona as a member of the opposing-team, Boldin hauled in nine passes for 149 yards, including 109 of them on six grabs in the first quarter alone. Boldin would also be the recipient of Kaepernick's first touchdown pass on the day, a 4-yard TD setup by NaVorro Bowman who during Arizona's second drive, jumped out in front of a pass intended for Larry Fitzgerald for his second interception in as many games.
Boldin would strike again on San Francisco's following drive, catching a pass and taking it 63-yards, setting up Kaepernick who found a wide-open Vernon Davis in the end zone. Trailing by double-digits, Arizona's frustration would build as their only promising drive in the first quarter ended with the first of two missed field goals on the day by Jay Feely who's first miss went wide right from 37-yards out. The Cardinals would eventually put some points up on the board before the half, however, as Carson Palmer connected with tight-end Jake Ballard from a yard out to make it a 17-7 game. Niners kicker Phil Dawson who had made a franchise record -- 27 consecutive field goals, had a chance to improve on that mark and add to his team's lead before the half. Instead, he missed a chip-shot from 27-yards out but would later redeem himself. Arizona would open the second half much like they did the first -- sloppy, as Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall fumbled the ball just four plays in, recovered by NaVorro Bowman who also forced the fumble and added a sack to his stellar day.
The Cardinals would eventually bounce back and tie the game as Feely split a pair of field goal tries in the fourth quarter followed by a 34-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to wide-out Andre Roberts who made a spectacular grab to make it 17-even. The 49ers would break that tie as Phil Dawson tied a personal-best with a 56-yard field goal to pull ahead with 1:50 remaining. Palmer would march his team all the way to the 25 yard line where Feely would once again tie the game at 20-20. With 34 seconds remaining and overtime on the horizon, the 49ers were in need of a hero if they planned on winning in regulation. In this case, they would get two. On the ensuing kick, LaMichael James ran the ball back 45 yards to set up the 49ers with great field position near midfield. After an 18-yard completion to Boldin, Kaepernick would connect with one of the most unlikeliest of heroes in Quinton Patton.
The rookie wide-out out of Louisiana Tech has had little to cheer about in 2013 having battled injury all season and had only one catch to his name coming into Sunday's game. But with 18 seconds on the clock, Patton would come up with the biggest play of the day as he made a leaping 22-yard grab along the sideline to put San Francisco in field goal range. Phil Dawson would do the rest as his 40-yard field goal split the uprights as time expired, sending the 49ers who improved to 11-4 on the year into the playoffs as a 5 seed with the 23-20 victory. With San Francisco's run game virtually nonexistent, the 49ers offense was forced to go through QB Colin Kaepernick who threw for 310 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 21 of 34 pass attempts. Meanwhile, Carson Palmer threw for 407 yards to go along with 2 touchdown passes and an interception, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season with three different teams (Bengals, Raiders and Cardinals).
Despite the loss, the Cardinals who fell to 10-6 on the year, have nothing to pout about under first-year head coach Bruce Arians who could very well hear his name be called for Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. In the NFL's most competitive division this year, Arians who with the help of a stout defense and an improvement at quarterback, turned the franchise from 5-11 just a year ago into a 10-win team in his first season at the helm. Only the third 10-win season for the Cardinals since the franchise relocated from St. Louis in 1988.
Playoff Preview: Currently riding a six-game win-streak into the playoffs, the longest active streak of any team in the league, Jim Harbaugh's 49ers now focus their attention on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field where they'll get set to face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday who sneaked into the playoffs at 8-7-1. Having won three straight against the reigning NFC North champs, including a 34-28 victory in the season-opener, Sunday's meeting will be a rematch of last year's NFC Division Round match up which San Francisco won by a final of 45-31. But neither of those games were played in the elements both teams will be forced to face on Sunday. With temperatures that will rival that of the 1967 Ice Bowl between the Cowboys and Packers at Lambeau (-13), the forecast for Sunday's game is expected to be below freezing with a high of -3 and a low of -19 at the time of kickoff. Not to mention wind chills close to -30 degrees. I'm no weather man but if those temperatures stick, Sunday's NFC Wild Card game will go down as the coldest playoff game in NFL history, surpassing the previous record of -13 in the aforementioned Ice Bowl.
With freezing temperatures that could shrink the pigskin among other things, we could be in store for a very sloppy, low-scoring game. Then again we could also be in store for a high-scoring, back and forth melee highlighted by poor tackling depending on which way you look at it. How it plays out, we just don't know. One thing we do know, however, is that high emotions will be brewing. Colin Kaepernick who was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and grew up a fan of both the 49ers and Packers will once again face off against Aaron Rodgers who was born and raised in northern California where he grew up a die-hard Niners fan. And though we probably won't see another record-setting performance on the ground from Colin Kaepernick who torched the Packers defense for 181 rushing yards in last year's Division round match up, we might see somewhat of a revival from the read-option which hasn't been seen too often by the 49ers this year opposed to last season. As for San Francisco, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and company will have his their hands full with Aaron Rodgers who will be seeking revenge for his team's blowout loss in last year's playoffs.
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