This is the live blog for the first quarter of the 49ers Week 8 game in Arizona against the Cardinals. I’ll update this frequently with information and analysis from my living room in Oakland.
5:28 Steve Young just said the 49ers offense needs to show tonight it can be explosive against a good defense.
5:36 The 49ers will receive the opening kickoff.
5:40 Ted Ginn Jr. will receive the kicks this week, not Kyle Williams.
5:40 Ginn returns it to the 49ers’ 25 yard line.
5:45 Smith just called the first timeout of the half for the Niners. Gore has run three times for 23 yards on this drive. He looks great. Greg Roman designed the first pass play to go to Mario Manningham, and he caught it for a 7-yard gain on 2nd and 4. Alex Boone was flagged for a face mask penalty on a first down reception by Kendall Hunter, so the 49ers face 2nd and 14 at their 46 yard line.
5:52 Greg Roman calls a screen pass to Mario Manningham on 2nd and 14 and the Cardinals blow it up for a three yard loss. Bad play call. Vernon Davis was downfield blocking.
5:51 Andy Lee pins Patrick Peterson deep in the Cardinals territory, but C.J. Spillman is flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Cardinals will have the ball at their 27 yard line.
5:55 LaRod Stephens-Howling gains 24 yard on the first play. He caught a screen pass which completely caught the 49ers off guard. Then the Cardinals called two Stephens-Howlings runs up the middle. Both went for no gain. John Skelton air mailed a pass over the middle on third and ten and the Cardinals have to punt.
5:57 Greg Roman called two pass plays for Mario Manningham and one for Kendall Hunter on the first Niner drive. Lets see if Roman gets Vernon Davis involved in the second drive.
5:59 On first and 10 from the 23, Gore runs right up the middle for five yards. That’s working.
6:06 On third and goal from the three yard line, Smith throws a fade to Crabtree in the end zone, and he jumps over Patrick Peterson to catch the touchdown. 7-0 Niners. Earlier in the drive, Frank Gore gained 17 yards up the middle on a Bill Walsh fullback belly play. Delanie Walker caught a 23-yard pass thanks to Patrick Peterson blowing a zone coverage. After two drives, the 49ers are averaging 6.3 yards per carry and Vernon Davis has not been targeted for a pass.
6:13. The Cardinals go three-and-out after starting the game going four-and-out. Their offense looks completely inept. Larry Fitzgerald is shaken up and the trainers are checking him out. He hit his head hard on the grass on the third down play. The Cardinals are in big trouble at the end of the first quarter.
6:15 Ginn returns the punt 9 yards to the SF 44. Gore gains three yards up the middle on first down. And that’s the end of the first quarter.
49ers RSS feed
Loading ...
Man i’ve been waiting all day for this game and now the lights start to flicker.
Hopefully you’ll get to see the whole game Philly.
Thats all I want. Then I don’t care I’ll read a book.
Here we go.
I love the way Gore hops skips and cuts
True dat. Still one of the best in the game today.
Dumb penalty Boone.
Nice replay on the Boone penalty.
there’s no electricity on the east coast, why should they replay it :/
I still got power.
Timeout already
He don’t gots “it.”
Wow. A pump fake to Manningham and then go deep to Hunter.
Boone may messed Up that drive
Thanks ABoone!!
Good Timeout
Bad bad cal there.
nice block crabs!!
So that’s the QB’s call??? BAD!!
Going backward. Come on!
3rd down and forever, bring in CK
Why throw that pass to Manningham! Come on game manager!
Perhaps because that is what the OC called? Do you want him to go rogue?
He waz opened
Damn Boone
Damn, that drive sucked
Why a run there?
Thats pretty standard 3&forever play.
You’ve got a question the playcalling so far. Perhaps they didn’t trust Alex in that situation
Smith is atrocious
Who are you again??!
Who the FQ are you? Dumba**
That wasn’t all on Smith. Boone and the play-calling had a hand in it as well.
Mid, clearly.
Cmon crabtree u got to block. Damn alex lets go
Too many knucklehead mistakes so far
Agreed.
what is that?
Stupid play Spillman. He knows the kick is angles and he knows the rules! Dumb play!
Dumb call ref
Lame penalty. Maybe he needs to go backward and not dodge coaches to come back in.
This is the most disappointing Niners season in recent memory. Should have developed their offense, but Alex just can’t do it. Bench him already.
Sit down before you hurt yourself.
Yeah? Really? You think the SF Giants or the SF Niners have more talent? Smith is this team’s Achilles heel and he needs to either get some nuts like Zito finally did or get benched.
Mid, don’t waste your time. I don’t even know who this is!
Hof I was here all last season backing up your boyfriend Alex, but I’m not a blind idiotic like yourself. His excuses are no longer viable.
Ticky-tack.
Bubble screen was coach’s call not Alex’s so blame the coaches.
See the single high on Hunter and pump fake the screen. Dude was wide open.
mistakes so far has been the story of the season to include this game.
through JS’s hands, lol
Could be a game of punts tonight.
Let’s cut the mistakes and put together a nice drive here
Gore’m! Go straight at them! Run, run, run, run some more!
Hold the rock, Frank!
Nice pass.
Simple plan tonight! Run!
pound the ball yep
That’s the way to do it Gore!
Frank Gore, MVP. This offense cant live without him.
GORE is the HEART and SOUL of this football team!
Unless the cardinals change something seriously, this game is going to be a blow out, they seriously cannot stop the 49ers run game
Our penalties are the only thing that will!
Dumb penalties!
Another dumb penalty! Argh!
The Niners have to play perfect, penalty free football because Alex can’t deal with long down and distance.
Say that again please!
Lol gore just owned gay
That penalty was ugly hope noodle arm smith can overcome that
Nice pass to DW!
Delaney walker?????
Shocking!!!! Shut my effing mouth, Alex, I implore you!
OK GR let’s run three straight and kick a FG!! C’mon man!
That’s what I’m talkin about Hofer, you friggin tw*t!!!
Who are you?? Does anyone know this guy??! Or, does it matter??
Uhhh, what was that?
Wow brandon Jacobs it looks like there is a god afterall
I wonder if they’ll let Alex pass the ball???
I guess you got your answer so off you go…
Team HOF, World Police!
I like that sprint left handback!!!!
Me too.
nice catch crabs
Nice throw and CATCH!! MC finally!!!
Yes Hofe. And AS finally takes a chance at throwing in tight coverage and allow his WR to make a play.
All good.
AES, yep It didn’t bounce off MC’s hands for an INT. Good on all ends!
Awesome! Alex takes a shot, and Crabs fulfills the faith.
What a touchdown pass and catch!
That’s how you let your receiver make a play for you! Great catch Crabs. Greatest hands JH has ever seen!!!!!
Pass, pass, and pass – all good. MC makes a great play!!
That’s all we want from Alex! Do more of that and maybe even Jordo will take a breather… eh, probly not though
Well theres a michael crabtree TD for all you crabby michael crabtree haters
nice hands crabs!!
That is the first time in 4 years, that i can remember, where Alex threw the ball up for MC to make a play. Great play right there. TD Niners
Adam707,
You are right!
Have faith in your WRs, they got some talent
Good drive by the offense
now lets keep momentum and stop the Card’s offense
Crabtree Strong Hands = TD
How many Davis targets so far?
Jack, you are such a buzz kill. GR will eventually get his act together…
Hammer
After blistering Peterson like that, I now understand MC’ lament after the championship game when he said, He would have liked more opportunities to make plays.
That’s how to throw the ball and let your WR’ make a play!
Kudos Alex!
Elite play by a top notch qb to a pro bowl wr beating a pro bowl cb
Go Niners!!!
That was a nice drive aside from the holding call. I’d like to see some replays of these penalties so we know if they’re legit or not.
Holding penalties are a crap shoot, it goes on so much I don’t even know why they call it anymore.
Lol
Good drive except for another dumb penalty.
Alex and Frank are looking good.
This is gonna be a massacre!
God. Arizona’s offense is terrible.
remind you of anything bay, ours years back
Ours vs NYG
Defense looks like they came to play tonight!!
Beautifully balanced drive. The penalties have to stop. Nice drive and nice red zone pass and catch. Been waiting for the fade pass.
What was the pass they always used for JR in the RZ? Anyone remember? it was the down and out to the front right cone.
Love it. Would like to see a lot more of those this season. Wheeeew!
Sprint right option?
Sprint Right Option
Fitz= Possible concussion. Game over!
Sat him in fantasy. Wooo
Damn nice play Ray.
Theres my 2 yard checkdown on 3rd and 6!
Skelton is going to get killed back there.
Nice screen
I think today is going to be a bounce back game for smith.. Im not saying hes an amazing QB but watch the pendulum swing today Jordo.
You mean like taking that sack!! He’s clueless!
Huh never mind I stand corrected, that sack for a loss.. Definately top QB performance there. Hopefully he just gets us into FG range and doesnt force it.
THROW THE DAMN BALL AWAY!!!!!!!!
Shut up for once in your life…
Just an amazing play by crabtree there.. I hated him when he first came here but this guy is a serious player.
So far so good.
nice stick, Alex!
There was a VD sighting in AZ
Maybe Crabs read Grant’s article on Bowe? ;-)
Well it’s looking bad for the Smith bashers tonight. Sorry guys. Maybe you can pull the wings off flies or something…
Shoot, I had to walk the dog and I come back and there was some noise about Randy Moss. Guess Smith is stinking out the joint again against a pretty good defense…