Week 12: Kaepernick, 49ers shine in team's first Monday Night game of the season

Last year San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick and Washington's Robert Griffin III took the National Football League by storm. The duel-threat QB's helped their teams make it to the playoffs and even punch a ticket to the Super Bowl for Kaepernick's 49ers, while RGIII took home Rookie of the Year honors. But so far, 2013 hasn't exactly treated the pair of young, gifted quarterbacks as nicely. Aside from his Week 1 performance against Green Bay, Kaepernick has struggled mightily with a thin receive corps, whereas Griffin who's sophomore campaign has had its fair share of ups and downs, has clearly not been the same QB since undergoing surgery on his right knee. Struggles aside, one QB would have another win to hang to their total as they faced off against one another for the first time in their bright career.

During Kaepernick's struggles, it's been tailback Frank Gore and the running game that's been the catalyst to the 49ers offense and has provided for the team. Not in this one, however, as Gore was kept relatively quiet with just 31 yards on 13 carries. With the 49ers ranked last in the league in passing yards entering the week, Kaepernick would face one of his most favorable match-ups yet. Planning to exploit that and dig the Niners' mediocre aerial attack from out of the gutter, Kaepernick would log one of the finest outings of his career and easily his best since Week 1 by throwing for 235 yards and 3 touchdown while completing 15 of 24 pass attempts and amassing a career-best passer rating of 134.5. No duo has been more productive and has meant more to their teams' receive corps as Vernon Davis and Anquan Boldin. And with a bulk of Kaepernick's passes going in their direction, each managed to find the end zone like they've done so often this year. Davis caught four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown while Boldin hauled in five receptions for a game-high 94 yards and a pair of TD's.  

But where Kaepernick and the 49er offense excelled, Griffin and the Redskins struggled. Completing 17 of 27 passes, RGIII threw for only 127 yards and was picked off for the 11th time this year, more than double the amount of interceptions he threw last season. Needing a win to keep a stranglehold on a playoff spot, the 49ers defense entered Monday night's game having allowed 12.5 points per game since week 4, the fewest in the league. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive-coordinator Vic Fangio would see that number decrease as Washington was kept out of the end zone the entire game and logged only 190 yards of total offense, their lowest total since a blowout loss to the Bills in 2011. To put Griffin's awful night into perspective, Washington was held to just 30 yards of offense in the second half as the second-year QB was under constant pressure by San Francisco's swarming defense which tallied four sacks on the night. It also marked the first time an RGIII led offense was held touchdown-less in his career, including his years in college with Baylor where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2011.

The Niners also got plenty of help on defense from defensive-end Aldon Smith who in his second start since taking nearly a two month hiatus while being treated at a rehab facility, looked like the Aldon Smith of old as he recorded his first sack since Week 3. Smith would finish the game with 2 sacks and made a number of hits on the Redskins quarterback as San Francisco won, 27-6. The win was the fifth straight for the 49ers on Monday Night Football and put an end to their two-game losing skid as they improved to 7-4 on the year and more importantly held on to their wild card spot in the NFC Playoff race. As for Washington, the Redskins have now lost 4 of their last 5 games and continue to fall behind in the NFC East as they dropped to 3-8 on the year. Griffin, who's asked the Redskins coaching staff not to show tape of his negative plays during team meetings, will likely see a plethora of negative plays from this one considering that's all there was on Monday by the Washington quarterback.

Week 13 - Owning the tie-breaker over the division-rival (7-4) Arizona Cardinals for the second NFC wild card spot, the 49ers will look to improve on their record on Sunday when they return home to host another division foe in the St. Louis Rams. Sitting at the bottom of the NFC West at 5-6, the Rams have been playing their best ball of the season as of late despite being without their starting quarterback -- Sam Bradford and are coming off back-to-back blowout wins against two pretty darn good teams in the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. Earlier this season when these two teams met in St. Louis, the 49ers pulled off a blowout 35-11 win in Week 4. But with the Rams eyeing the .500 mark and hoping to play the role of spoiler, don't expect anything to be given to Colin Kaepernick and company as they return to the Stick. Week 4 saw Frank Gore explode for his first big game of the season when he torched the Rams for 153 yards rushing to go along with a touchdown. With coach Harbaugh likely to get his running back back on track after sub par performances in each of his last two outings, we could be in store for a steady diet of Gore in this one. Week 13 will also see the return of wide-out Michael Crabtree. With Kaepernick's favorite target slated to return for the first time this year since tearing his Achilles during training camp in May, we just might see a TD reception by someone not named Boldin or Davis for the first time this season.


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Giants sign former All-Star Hudson, retain Lopez

For the second time in three years, the San Francisco Giants have followed up a successful World Series triumph with a disappointing season in which they've failed to make the postseason. Trying as hard as ever to manufacture a team capable of climbing back to the pinnacle of baseball immortality, Giants general manager Brian Sabean has already done some early shopping and knocked off a few key needs on the team's Christmas list. With outfielder Hunter Pence signing a 5-year extension one day before the end of the 2013 regular season and pitcher Tim Lincecum inking a new two-year deal just weeks later, Sabean continued his early spending by landing another seasoned veteran in right-hander Tim Hudson as the team officially cut ties with Barry Zito. 

Hudson, 38, signed a two-year, $23 Million deal earlier this week. Along with his veteran leadership and valuable knowledge of the game, Hudson brings a repertoire of pitches that includes everything but the kitchen sink as well as over 200 career wins along with him to the bay area where he first established himself as a big league pitcher from 1999-2004 with the Giants' cross bay rival -- Oakland A's where he helped create 1/3 of the Athletics' "big three" alongside Mark Mulder and Barry Zito. Through 15 big league seasons, the last 9 of which with the Atlanta Braves, Hudson has been named to three All-Star teams and has yet to log a season in which he's recorded a record at or under .500. 2014 will see the return of Hudson to the baseball diamond after a fractured right ankle in July put an abrupt end to his 2013 campaign. A season in which the Braves finished the regular season 96-66, good enough for the number 2 seed in the National League before being bounced out of the postseason by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. 

Hudson logged an 8-7 record and an ERA of 3.97 in 21 starts in 2013 before being bit by the injury bug. Better known for their dominant pitching over the last few seasons that saw a World Series Championship in 2010 and another just two seasons later in 2012, Hudson joins a Giants starting pitching staff that looked very much unlike itself this past season by boasting an overall ERA of 4.37, the third highest in the National League. What direction Sabean and skipper Bruce Bochy look to head in with the team's fifth starting pitching spot is not yet known. While Ryan Vogelsong remains an option, the Giants may look elsewhere and sign another lefty to join Madison Bumgarner, granted Matt Cain, Linececum and Hudson are all right-handers. One southpaw the Giants will for sure be bringing back, however, is reliever Javier Lopez. Coming off his best Major League season yet (1.83 ERA), Lopez, who's been nothing but nails for the Giants since being traded in 2010 from the Pittsburgh Pirates, entered the offseason as one of if not the top left-handers on the free-agent market and was said to have drawn the interest of at least 10 other ball clubs before San Francisco retained one of its key cogs in the bullpen.

While the Giants still have a hole to fill in left field, GM Brian Sabean has been very on point thus far in the offseason in addressing the teams top priorities. And given how Sabe's likes to do his work early in the off-season, don't be surprised if he makes a move anytime soon and surprises us with an early Christmas present before the holiday.

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Week 11: 49ers lose second straight after Bogus call in the Bayou

Entering Sunday's game, the San Francisco 49ers had their work cut out for them as they were given the daunting task of having to face the (7-2) New Orleans Saints at home where they're unbeaten in five games this season. Expected to be a showdown between two NFC heavyweights, it wouldn't be long before the officials made a plethora of terrible calls from beginning to end, none worse than the one with 3:12 remaining in the fourth quarter as the 49ers appeared to be on their way to putting an end to New Orleans' perfect home record. Leading 20-17, Niners linebacker Ahmad Brooks who earlier in the game collected his first interception of the season, sacked Saints quarterback Drew Brees, forcing him to fumble on third down as the ball was recovered by Patrick Willis near midfield.

However, there would be a flag on the play as the officials called for a personal foul on Brooks for illegal contact despite him hitting the quarterback cleanly without any helmet to helmet or hands to the head contact. One word to describe the call -- bad. How bad you ask? So bad that two former Pro Bowl linebackers in Ray Lewis and Tedy Bruschi both offered to pitch in and help Brooks pay for the ridiculous $15,750 fine that is being issued for the hit. The penalty would negate the sack and forced fumble that would've setup Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco offense at midfield and in position to potentially add to their lead and put the game away for good. Instead, Brees and the Saints were awarded the ball back with an extra 15-yards as they eventually tied the game five plays later thanks to a Garrett Hartley field goal. In an attempt to make up for the call, the officials missed what should have been a safety on the 49ers as Kaepernick got away with an intentional-grounding call inside the five yard line.

After a punt following a three and out on San Francisco's ensuing drive, the 49ers would shoot themselves in the foot when Kaseem Osgood interfered with the Saints' Darren Sproles who had called for a fair catch. The 15-yard penalty put New Orleans near midfield and with a 1:40 remaining, Drew Brees did the rest, marching his team down field and once again setting up his kicker Garrett Hartley for the game-winning field goal as time expired. Brees threw for 1 touchdown and 1 interception while compiling 305 yards through the air, giving him eight games with at least 300 yards passing this season, trailing only Peyton Manning who's eclipsed the 300 yard mark nine times this year. As for Kaepernick, the struggling QB threw for a pair of touchdowns and just one interception but only amassed 127 yards passing. Through the air, Kaepernick has yet to connect with someone in the end zone not named Anquan Boldin or Vernon Davis this season as all 11 of his passing touchdowns have been thrown in their direction. That trend continued in this one as both Boldin and Davis hauled in a TD reception.

The 49ers who scored 17 of their 20 points off turnovers, got things started in the second quarter as they cashed in on a muffed punt by Saints receiver Lance Moore. Two plays later, Kaepernick would find Boldin from 11-yards out in the end zone for his first receiving touchdown since week 4. Jim Harbaugh and company would get a huge sigh of relief in the second quarter when Kaepernick was picked off by Corey White who filling in for the injured Jabari Greer, dove in front of Mario Manningham for the interception and returned it 43 yards before leaping into the air and losing the ball just before crossing the goal line. The ball sailed into the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback as San Francisco retained possession. But that would be the only break in favor of the 49ers all afternoon long. Though it's hard not to blame the loss on the bogus call that cost the 49ers a possession and the chance to add to their lead, Kaepernick and co. let a number of opportunities slip through their hands on Sunday. Literally. Midway through the fourth quarter, Kaepernick had a wide-open Frank Gore who had nothing but real estate ahead of him but he was unable to corral the low pass as San Francisco dropped its second straight game, 23-20, falling to 6-4 on the year and tying them for second place in the NFC West with the Arizona Cardinals, winners of three straight.

But back to the Ahmad Brooks hit. Over the last several years, the NFL has made strides in protecting players most notably at quarterback. With hits to the knees outlawed as well as those to the helmet and head area, defensive players are already given a tiny area on the body in which they can hit the quarterback. And with the player in motion, that area becomes even smaller given they can duck at anytime. But with these new rules in place where almost every hit on a quarterback is illegal it seems, the defensive player is left with little to work with when it comes to making a play on the quarterback. Of course we'd all love to see an end to the devastating concussions that have proven to be even more serious to a players long-term safety, the latest banning of hits on the quarterback is beginning to take away from the game as well as the play we know as the "sack." Keep that word in mind because at this rate it might be erased from both the game and our memories as we know it, given the recent direction of the NFL and their overly obsessive love craze for protecting the quarterback. Franchise player or not, those at the quarterback position knew what they were signing up for the moment they put on a helmet and pads for the very first time, just like their peers at every other position on the gridiron. It's game changing plays like this that are causing teams key games all too often and are making it easier for people like me to become less of a fan of a sport I've been watching and have loved since a child. So don't be surprised if and when the NFL adopts a two-hand touch or flag football type of deal for the quarterback position. *Rant over*

Week 12 Preview - Entering the 2013 NFL season, many believed the Washington Redskins would be one of the teams the San Francisco 49ers would have to fend off if they planned on winning a second consecutive NFC Championship. That couldn't be any further from the truth as the 'Skins currently sit at the bottom of the NFC Eastern division standings at 3-7. In what's been an up and down season for Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, the former Heisman Trophy winner and last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year has had a hard time adjusting to his one dimensional ways as his surgically repaired knee has kept him immobile for the most part. With three of San Francisco's remaining six games against NFC Western division opponents and the Arizona Cardinals breathing on the back of their neck with their eyes set on a wild card spot, the 49ers cannot afford to lose a game against a sub .500 opponent. But with this one being on Monday Night Football and on the road in the nation's capital, you better believe RG3 and company will give it their all. With upcoming dates with the Rams, Cardinals and Seahawks all ahead for San Francisco, this will be one of the more favorable match-ups for 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. 


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Week 10: 49ers bitten by Panthers behind poor offense

With a BYE Week in Week 9 after their trip across the pond in London, Jim Harbaugh's 49ers came into Week 10 with plenty of time to rest and prepare for their next opponent -- the Carolina Panthers. Both teams entered Sunday's meeting riding win-streaks of four and five games respectively, but only one would be able to improve on that mark. Unlike San Francisco who many had predicted would be in the discussion for another NFC Championship this season, Carolina has been one of the league's surprise teams, trailing the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints by only a game. Much like the 49ers, Carolina's been winning games led by their stout defense which had yet to allow a first quarter touchdown in 12 consecutive games dating back to last year.

Though the 49ers would fail to put an end to that streak, they did manage to draw first blood by opening the game with a successful drive that saw Phil Dawson split the uprights from 53-yards out to give San Francisco an early lead. It would be the beginning of a busy day for the 49ers kicker who nailed three field goals to account for the only scoring by San Francisco all day. The 49ers' aerial attack has been one of the worst in the league thus far this season and though they would welcome the return of receiver Mario Manningham who saw his first snap since late last season when a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year, the team would be held in check through the air. With two speedy duel-threat quarterbacks that were selected in the same draft class (2011) and have been exciting to watch throughout their young careers in Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick, the same couldn't be said for their performance on Sunday as both quarterbacks completed only half of their passes and were kept out of the end zone.

Kaepernick would finish with one of the worst games of his brief NFL career, failing to surpass the century mark by throwing for a career-low 91 yards and an interception as he was under constant pressure by Carolina's swarming defense who compiled a total of six sacks. Newton on the other hand would be just slightly better than his counterpart, throwing for 169 yards and an interception while being taken down five times. Frank Gore led all rushers with 82 yards on 16 carries but it would be Carolina's run game that got them on the board. Aside from a 27-yard touchdown run by Panthers running back DeAngelo Hall, Carolina would have very little to cheer about in the first two quarters as they headed into the locker room trailing at the half in a game for the first time all season long. San Francisco would be dealt a huge blow in the second half as they'd be without one their key cogs on offense for most of the game. Tight-end Vernon Davis who's been Kaepernick's most lethal weapon in the passing game, would leave the field in the second quarter after sustaining a concussion.

Standout rookie safety Eric Reid would later join Davis after suffering a concussion of his own before also losing tight-end Garrett Celek and defensive-tackle Ray McDonald to injuries. In his first game back since undergoing treatment at a rehab center following the Week 3 loss to the Colts, Aldon Smith saw limited action on Sunday and was a non-factor on defense. After putting up more than 30-points in each of their last five games, the 49ers offense came out of their BYE Week flat and was unable to solve one of the best defenses in the league as Panthers kicker Graham Gano made up for a missed field goal earlier in the game with a 53-yarder in the fourth quarter to give Carolina a 10-9 lead. That lead would hold up as Kaepernick and company struggled to get anything going on two last-ditch efforts and failed to pull off the comeback victory as the 49ers fell to 6-3 on the season, snapping their five-game winning-streak. The Panthers got the hallmark win they needed to quiet some of the naysayers and keep within striking distance of the Saints, improving to 6-3 for their fifth consecutive win, their longest such streak in eight years.

Week 11 Preview: With a horrific and down right embarrassing performance offensively at home after a BYE Week now behind them, the 49ers will now have to get ready to face one of their toughest tasks of the season as they head to the Superdome to face the New Orleans Saints. Though the team has lots to improve on before Sunday's game, New Orleans played host to Kaepernick's first big game on the road last season as he led the 49ers to a 31-21 triumph. The Superdome was also the site of Super Bowl XLVII. In other words, he's no stranger to the loud, hostile environment that awaits him. Unfortunately, this year's Saints team isn't the same one he and his teammates saw a year ago. With New Orleans head coach Sean Peyton back at the helm after serving a suspension last season, the Saints, led by QB Drew Brees are 5-0 at home and are coming off a record-breaking performance against the Dallas Cowboys in which they converted on 40 first downs. So if any time is a good time for the 49ers offense to wake up, it's now as this one will likely be a shootout.


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Beast of the East

With the start of the 2013-14 NBA season in full effect, one of the main storylines to keep an eye on is who if anybody can dethrone the Miami Heat out east. Since LeBron James made his highly criticized 'Decision' to take his talents to South Beach and join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in the Summer of 2010, Miami has had little competition in the Eastern Conference having made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, winning the last two. But last season saw the Heat meet their toughest match yet in the Eastern Conference Finals as the Indiana Pacers gave LeBron and company a run for their money. And though Miami eventually won the thrilling best-of-seven series in a lopsided game 7, the Pacers showed to the rest of the league that the Heat could in fact be beaten. And had it not been for a coaching blunder by Pacers head coach Frank Vogel in game 1 when he chose to sit his best defender in Roy Hibbert who's absence in the paint proved to be costly, allowing LeBron James to drive through the lane for the game-winning lay-up, we could very well be looking at a different NBA champion. 

But enough with all the ifs and buts, the fact remains that last year the Indiana Pacers came within one win of upsetting the defending world champion Miami Heat, something they plan on accomplishing this season if given a second chance. Proving that last season was no fluke, the Pacers who finished last season with an overall record of 49-32, are off to their best start in franchise history having won all 8 of their games this year, standing tall as the league's last and only unbeaten team. Allowing a league-low to opponents in both points per game and field goal shooting percentage, Indiana once again poses the biggest threat to LeBron James and the Miami Heat's chances of making it a three-peat. And with one of their best players in Danny Granger expected back sometime in the near future, the Pacers could get even better. But depending on what role coach Vogel decides to use his All-Star forward in, the wrong move could cost his team in the long run. The absence of Granger who led the Pacers in scoring in each season from 2007-08 to 2011-12 before missing all but the first five games last year due to a knee injury, allowed Paul George to breakout and rise to stardom while being named to his first All-Star team and taking home the NBA's Most Improved Player honors. 

Another player who's benefited from Granger's absence is Lance Stephenson who took over the starting role and is off to the best start of his career this season. So plugging Granger back into the starting lineup might not be the easiest thing to do for coach Vogel, nor would it be the smartest. At least not yet. Having Granger come off the bench could give the Pacers a jolt both offensively and defensively as he plans to get back onto the court for the first time since straining his left calf almost a month ago. A limited role would allow him to get back into the gist of things physically without disrupting what the Pacers currently have going with their starting lineup. After all, if it ain't broken don't fix it, right? But back to Indiana's biggest concern -- the Miami Heat. The Pacers are the one team in the east that can match up best with Miami on both sides of the ball while teams like Chicago and New York lack the depth and physicality that Indiana possesses. As for Brooklyn, another team likely to make the playoffs, let's just see if their old, fragile lineup can make it to season's end in one piece.

The Pacers are also one of the deeper teams in the league after adding depth in the offseason by acquiring power forward Luis Scola from the Phoenix Suns via trade. All of this coupled with Indiana's stellar play could help the Pacers who are coming off their first Central Division title since 2004, get over the hump and surpass the Miami Heat for Eastern Conference supremacy. Locking up home-court advantage would definitely increase Indiana's chances in doing so as we all witnessed just how important playing at home was last year when the Heat held off the Pacers in Miami in the decisive game 7.


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Week 8: 49ers tame Jaguars in London

Winners of four straight heading into Sunday's game, all by double-digits, Jim Harbaugh's 49ers flew across the pond to London, England to face a 17-point underdog in the (0-7) Jacksonville Jaguars. One of two NFL teams still seeking their first win of 2013 (Tampa Bay the other), the Jaguars knew their first taste of triumph wasn't likely to come against a San Francisco squad that's been playing its best ball of the season as of late and has scored at least 30-points in each of their last four games. Dominating both at home and on the road, the 49ers made themselves feel right at home on Sunday despite being more than 5,000 miles away from Candlestick Park. 

It's no secret that the San Francisco 49ers are at their best when their run game is clicking on all cylinders and the defense does what's asked of them. That's been the team's recipe for success over the last month. With QB Colin Kaepernick involved in the run game more so last week than he was in any week prior as he ran for his first touchdown of the season, coach Harbaugh saw his quarterback log another stellar performance on the ground in this one. Kaep ran for 54-yards and added two more rushing touchdowns to his season total while throwing for another 164-yards and finding a wide-open Vernon Davis in the end zone in the second quarter for his only passing touchdown of the ballgame. Running back Frank Gore who's been the catalyst during San Francisco's current winning streak, ran for another pair of touchdowns on Sunday while compiling 71-yards rushing, but not even he led the 49ers rushing attack against the Jaguars as that title belonged to backup Kendall Hunter who ran for a game-high 84-yards.

If any of the 83,559 fans in attendance at London's Wembley Stadium were fans of the long ball and were hoping to see the 49ers utilized Colin Kaepernick's arm to the best of its ability, they more than likely left Sunday's game disappointed. With only 16 pass plays being drawn up by offensive coordinator Greg Roman who called for twice as many run plays, the few number of times the 49ers decided to go through the air might come as a surprise considering the second play of the game saw Kaepernick connect with his fullback Bruce Miller for a 43-yard gain. Trailing 28-0, Jacksonville would finally get on the board just before the end of the first half as kicker Josh Scobee split the uprights from 38-yards out. The Jaguars' lone highlight would come in the third quarter when QB Chad Henne who threw for 228 yards on the day while playing a turnover-free ballgame, found a wide-open receiver in the end zone as Mike Brown hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 18.

But any hopes of a miracle win would come crashing down early in the fourth quarter when 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis forced a fumble on Jaguars tight-end Mercedes Lewis, picked up and returned 43-yards by Dan Skuta for the game-sealing touchdown as San Francisco pummeled the Jags, 42-10. The victory was the fifth straight for the 49ers and was also the fifth consecutive performance in which Jim Harbaugh's team lit up the scoreboard for more than 30-points as they improved to 6-2 on the year.

Week 10 Preview - With a BYE week in week 9, the 49ers will have plenty of time to return home and adjust to the States in preparation not only for their next opponent but also for the second half of the NFL season. Still trailing the (7-1) Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West division, every game from here on is key for the 49ers who hope to not just make the playoffs but do so ahead of their division foe. Week 10 will see the 49ers return home to Candlestick Park where they'll play host to Cam Newton and the (5-3) Carolina Panthers. Like San Francisco, the Panthers are riding a win-streak of their own having won four straight in hopes of closing the gap on the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints. Few quarterbacks in the league have been as hot as Newton over the last month so the Niner defense figures to have their hands full in that department. The biggest concern, however, is Carolina's defense. As good as San Francisco's defense has been as of late, the Panthers defense has been among the league's best this season. Carolina boasts a turnover ratio of +8 and has allowed only 9 touchdowns compared to San Francisco's +4 turnover ratio and 17 touchdowns allowed. So as much as we'd all like to see Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick run rampant on the opposition, don't be surprised if it ends up being a game highlighted by defense.


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Week 7: 49ers trample Titans to win fourth straight.

After a bit of a Super Bowl hangover which saw the 49ers fall to 1-2 after the first three weeks of the season, Jim Harbaugh's club seems to be clicking on all cylinders having won three straight entering Sunday's meeting in Tennessee. But despite San Francisco's resurgence, many have already begun to write off QB Colin Kaepernick. With far less read-option plays called by offensive-coordinator Greg Roman this year, running the ball seems like a forgotten element of the quarterback's game. But on Sunday, we were reminded of Kaepernick's running ability as he found the end zone with his feet for the first time this year. 

Leading 3-0 in the second quarter, Kaepernick kept the ball to himself and ran for a 20-yard touchdown to make it a 10-0 ballgame. It would be the beginning of a trio of rushing touchdowns on the day by the 49ers. Kaepernick ran for a total of 68 yards while throwing for another 199, but was kept out of the end zone through the air. Running back Frank Gore who eclipsed the century mark in last week's win against the Arizona Cardinals but finished the game touchdown-less, made up for it on Sunday by reaching the end zone on a pair of occasions, both from 1-yard out. With their grasp on the scoreboard, Jim Harbaugh's team also won the time of possession battle by handling the rock for 11 minutes longer than Tennessee.

Titans quarterback Jake Locker who had missed his last two starts with a knee and hip injury and wasn't expected back for a few more weeks, toughed it out and still managed to have a decent game under center. Throwing for over 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns including one to former 49ers tight-end Delanie Walker, Locker tried to make a game out of it late in the fourth quarter but costly miscues dug too big of a hole for him and his team to climb out of. Winning the turnover battle has been vital during San Francisco's current winning-streak and this one would be no different as the 49ers continued the trend by forcing two turnovers and committing none of their own. Cornerback Termaine Brock who's filled in quite nicely for the ailing Nnamdi Asomugha came up with his third interception in as many games while the special-teams also delivered when Kassim Osgood recovered a muffed punt by Darius Reynaud inside the end zone.

With one of their best all around performances of the season, the 49ers beat the (3-4) Titans by a final score of 31-17. It would be their fourth straight 30-point performance as they improve their record to 5-2 and their winning-streak to four games, all of which have been won by double-digits. 

Week 8 Preview: With one game over with and another remaining on San Francisco's current road trip, the 49ers get ready to cross the pond for their matchup in London against the win-less Jacksonville Jaguars (0-7). As the 49ers' BYE week looms in Week 9, coach Jim Harbaugh plans to ride into the week off with another win added to their total. But that's not to say he's overlooking his next opponent. Though Jacksonville is arguably the worst team in the league, Harbaugh won't expect anything but the very best from his squad come Sunday. And with pounding the rock being San Francisco's recipe to success over the last four weeks, expect another heavy dose of runs from Frank Gore and company. After all; if it ain't broken, don't fix it. Right? This week should also be a good week for Colin Kaepernick to blow off some steam and get into a groove of his own both through the air and on the ground. 


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San Francisco to host the Freak Show for 2 more years

In a season full of disappointment for the 2013 San Francisco Giants who displayed a bit of a World Series hangover by finishing 76-86 and tied for third in the division, one of the few bright spots came on July 13 when starting pitcher Tim Lincecum threw his first career no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. It would also be the highlight of Lincecum's season as his 2013 campaign ended with the right-hander finishing under .500 for the third consecutive season (10-14) and an ERA north of 4. But none of that stopped us Giants fans or the front-office from expressing how much we'd love to see him return to the orange and black in 2014 and beyond. 

Expected to test the waters of the free-agent market following the conclusion of the World Series, we made signs for Lincecum's final home start of the season that read: 'Don't leave, Tim' and 'San Francisco loves you' as it was unsure whether or not we'd see Timmy in a Giants uniform again. That question was answered much sooner than expected on Monday when news broke regarding both sides reaching a deal pending a physical worth $35 Million over 2-years. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and is $5.5 Million fewer than the 2-year, $40.5 Million contract he signed in 2012. Entering his age 30 season, the former first round pick of the Giants in 2006 owns an overall record of 89-70 and an ERA of 3.46 through seven Major League seasons. Though his fastball velocity isn't quite where it used to be in the 95 mph range, his popularity hasn't lost a beat. Better known around AT&T Park as "The Freak", Lincecum's teammates as well as manager Bruce Bochy will be every bit as happy as the fans are now that the 4-time All-Star and 2-time Cy Young Award winner is staying put.

While there are those who are saying the Giants are overpaying for his services, the market for pitchers heading into the offseason isn't very appealing to start. Bronson Arroyo, Hiroki Kuroda, Matt Garza, Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez round up this offseason's top pitching free-agents and with the exception of Arroyo, they'll all likely sign for a larger sum than Lincecum. Not to mention they're all older than the Giants right-hander. Other than the Giants, the Seattle Mariners who play just a stones throw away from where Timmy is from in Bellevue, Washington, were likely to offer him a contract had he hit the market. 

The re-signing of Lincecum comes three weeks after the Giants locked up their biggest offseason priority in outfielder Hunter Pence who GM Brian Sabean inked to a new deal one day prior to the end of the 2013 regular season, preventing him from stepping foot in the free-agent market. Pence who made a spectacular diving catch with 2-outs in the 8th inning to preserve Lincecum's no-hitter, hit a career-high 27 home runs in 2013 and logged a personal-best 22 stolen bases to go with 99 RBI's while starting in all 162 games this season, further demonstrating his durability. Pence has missed just 24 games in six full big league seasons and was an integral part in the team's World Series success last season as he delivered a motivational pre-game speech prior to game 3 of last year's NLDS vs the Cincinnati Reds. The signings of Lincecum and Pence leave only left-handed reliever Javier Lopez as the last name to be marked off of Sabean's list of top priorities for returning players entering 2014.


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Week 6: 49ers Win third straight behind Davis' monster day

With both teams entering Sunday's game at 3-2 respectively and riding a two game winning-streak, the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC West showdown with both teams vying for a win to gain sole possession of second place in the division and keep pace with the division-leading Seattle Seahawks. Things couldn't have been drawn up any better for the 49ers to begin the game on defense as they returned two early Carson Palmer interceptions inside the 20-yard line. But where the defense excelled, the offense struggled.

A sluggish start to the game for QB Colin Kaepernick and company enabled Arizona to stick around until late in the fourth quarter as the San Francisco offense failed to take advantage of three early trips to the red zone. The first two trips resulted in field goals by Phil Dawson while the third ended in an interception on a tipped pass intended for fullback Bruce Miller inside the end zone. But Kaepernick would eventually get things going as he began to utilize his best weapon through the air as it soon turned into the Vernon Davis show at Candlestick. The Pro Bowl tight-end would have a career day, hauling in touchdown grabs of 61 and 35 yards, logging a career-high 180 receiving yards total while displaying a flurry of acrobatic catches including one reminiscent of another bay area great by the name of Willie Mays. Davis' personal-best 180 yards receiving would also be the second most by a tight-end in the last 10 years. Despite Davis' spectacular showing, it wasn't enough to keep Arizona from nibbling at San Francisco's heels practically all game long.

Cardinals QB Carson Palmer would show flashes of why he was named to a pair of Pro Bowl's while a member of the Cincinnati Bengals by throwing for a pair of touchdowns and finishing the game with 298 yards passing to keep his team in it. But he would also have his fair share of mistakes as the 49er defense picked him off twice and sacked him in the end zone for a safety. Leading 22-20 in the final minutes of the third quarter, the Niners would get a much needed takeaway when linebacker Patrick Willis made a tackle on Larry Fitzgerald, forcing him to fumble. The fumble would be recovered by rookie safety Eric Reid who also finished with his team-leading third interception on the year in the first quarter before later being joined by Carlos Rogers who picked off Palmer two drives later for his first of the season. San Francisco won the turnover battle and forced a total of four turnovers for the second consecutive week with the help of another rookie in Corey Lemonier who was selected in the third round of April's NFL Draft earlier this year. The first-year player out of Auburn finished the game with his first career sack as well as a forced fumble and a safety while filling in for the absent Aldon Smith.

Back to the offense, Davis wouldn't be the only one who finished the game with a nice stat line as 49ers running back Frank Gore would do what he's done so often against the Cardinals by logging another stellar performance by rushing for 101 yards on Sunday. However, it would be Gore's running mate Kendall Hunter who would put the icing on the cake as Arizona trailed by two with six minutes remaining in regulation before Hunter made his way into the end zone for a late score. Kicker Phil Dawson went 3-for-3 in the field goal department including a 44 yarder to seal the 32-20 victory for the 49ers. 

Week 7 Preview: After two games at the 'Stick, Jim Harbaugh hopes to continue his teams winning ways away from home as the 49ers prepare for their first game of a two-game road trip against the (3-3) Tennessee Titans. Having been without quarterback Jake Locker the past two weeks due to a hip and knee injury, the Titans, losers of two straight, will have their QB back on Sunday much earlier than expected. But with a stout 49er defense in town, I'm not sure giving Locker the nod is a good idea given he won't be at 100%. The meeting will also mean a reunion with Titans tight-end Delanie Walker and his former team as Walker signed with Tennessee as a free-agent during the off-season. With the 49ers having success running the ball in each of their last three games, expect the trend to continue on Sunday.


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Week 5: 49ers Defense grabs Houston by the horns, 34-3.

After getting back on track in Week 4 with a blowout win on the road over the division-rival St. Louis Rams, the 49ers returned home hoping they could translate that performance against the visiting Houston Texans. Having struggled mightily at the quarterback position with Texans starting QB Matt Schaub throwing a pick-six in three consecutive games, Houston head coach Gary Zubiak saw the trend continue on Sunday night. Three plays into the Texans opening-drive, Schaub would have his first pass attempt of the game picked-off and returned 18-yards into the end zone as cornerback Tremaine Brock read the pass intended for wide-out Andre Johnson like a book, logging his first career touchdown and putting San Francisco up early. With the interception returned for a touchdown, Schaub became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a pick-six in four consecutive games. 

Filling in for the injured Nnamdi Asomugha who missed his second consecutive game nursing a knee-injury, Brock would receive plenty of hugs and high-fives from his 49er teammates by games end as he picked-off Schaub for a second time in the second quarter. And though Schaub would be intercepted for a third time in the third quarter this time by defensive-lineman Tony Jerod-Eddie and later be replaced, Houston's struggles would go far beyond those at the quarterback position. With a lost fumble by backup running back Ben Tate and a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter to add to Houston's woeful night, the Texans would be unable to find an answer for the 49ers Frank Gore. After compiling over 150 yards in week 4, Gore followed up that performance with another solid outing by rushing the ball for 81 yards and a touchdown. 

Aside from Gore, the 49ers would be relatively quiet on the offensive side of the ball. For the second consecutive week, QB Colin Kaepernick failed to put up eye-popping numbers through the air nor did he have to. The third-year player out of Nevada had an Alex Smith-like performance in the sense that he played smart, mistake-free football. Kaepernick completed only 6 of his 15 pass attempts for 113 yards to three different receivers, but one of those passes would go for a 64-yard connection to tight-end Vernon Davis who beat man to man coverage and ran down the sidelines for the easy score, putting to rest any doubt regarding his sore hamstring that caused him to miss week 3. Davis would lead all receivers with 88 yards on a trio of receptions. 

Houston would eventually get on the board in the third quarter via a Randy Bullock field goal after hooking and missing an earlier attempt in the first quarter wide-left but it wouldn't be nearly enough as San Francisco got another solid performance from the defense despite the absence of several key defensive players. Niners kicker Phil Dawson put an exclamation mark on the game by splitting the uprights from 24 yards out late in the fourth quarter to seal the 34-3 win. With the win and a Seahawks loss, the 49ers gain a game in the NFC West standings over Seattle (4-1) who San Francisco (3-2) now trails by a game. 

Week 6 Preview:  Heading into Week 6, Jim Harbaugh's 49ers are riding their first winning-streak of the season and are coming off of back-to-back blowout wins as they get set to host the division-rival Arizona Cardinals (3-2) who have a two game winning-streak of their own. With a stingy secondary led by Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson who Colin Kaepernick will have to steer clear of considering he's amassed 3 interceptions against the Niners in his last two games, we'll likely see another average performance through the air where as a majority of the 49ers offense will come on the ground. Expect a healthy diet of Frank Gore who's rushed for 13 touchdowns in his last 13 meetings against the Cardinals as well as another stout performance by the San Francisco defense who will create plenty of problems for Arizona QB Carson Palmer who will be returning to the bay area after spending the last two seasons under center in Oakland. 

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