49ers 20
Cardinals 17
The 49ers got a taste of the 5 wide QB rush offense today, and you guys weren't kidding about how hard it is to stop. Between Kolb rushing and Fitz catching passes, the Cardinals were unstoppable on their first drive, marching down the field for a TD. The 49ers tried to answer back on their own first drive, but got stalled out on 4th and 2 on their own 43. Knowing that it would be an uphill battle to stop the Cardinals from scoring on their next possession from anywhere on the field, the 49ers made the gut call to go for it, and were rewarded by a successful conversion, a 34 yard completion to Vernon Davis, then ended the drive with a 1 yard TD by Frank Gore. Akers kicked a 50 yard FG to put the 49ers up 10-7, but Feely kicked a FG of his own to end the first half at 10-10. After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Akers kicked a FG to put the 49ers up 13-10 in the 4th, but Kolb answered right back on the following drive, finishing with an 11-yard TD pass to Todd Heap. With 1:56 left to go, Alex Smith felt the pressure, misfiring on several key 1st and 2nd downs, but managed to keep his team alive by making several key conversions, including a huge 44-yard reception to Josh Morgan. With a 4-yard TD by Frank Gore with 23 seconds to go, the 49ers made their first 4th quarter comeback this season, leaving it up to the 49ers defense to make a stand against the potent duo of Kolb and Fitz. And stop them they did. Playing with a fire unseen until now, the 49ers pressured Kolb into making an errant throw up the middle, and Navorro Bowman jumped the route, snatching the ball out of the air for the first and only turnover of the game and securing the win.
GG LVPatriots. That was fun, you kept me guessing all game. I have to revise my gameplan against 5 wide sets, as I wouldn't have been able to stop you if you decided to run 5 wide every single play, including 4th downs.