The 49ers (4-2) host the Arizona Cardinals (3-3) at Candlestick Park for a 1:15 PT kickoff in the NFC West home division game.
Jake Plummer starts at quarterback for Arizona. Thomas Jones runs the ball. David Boston leads the receivers. Jeff Garcia starts for the 49ers; Kevan Barlow at running back; Terrell Owens at receiver.
Jake Plummer and the 3-3 Arizona Cardinals come to Candlestick Sunday afternoon. The 49ers (4-2), off the Sunday Night Football road loss to the Saints, host the kind of division home game where the year's identity tape can produce the kind of statement performance.
Jeff Garcia stays the starter. Kevan Barlow at running back. Terrell Owens the WR1. The Cardinals come in with Plummer at quarterback, Thomas Jones as the lead back, and David Boston as the WR1.
Favored by 6 at home. The kind of division home game where 5-2 keeps the year on the right side of the NFC West conversation.
Week 8 across the NFC sees the contenders pulling away. The Eagles, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Bears compete for division titles and wild-card spots. The 49ers (4-2) lead the NFC West. Around the AFC the Patriots, Broncos, Chiefs, and Raiders dominate. The Sunday home game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against a 3-3 Cardinals team, can produce the kind of division statement the year's identity tape needs.
Through six games the 49ers are 4-2 with a +26 point differential. Jeff Garcia averages 7.6 yards per attempt with six TDs and four INTs. Garrison Hearst averages 70 rushing yards a game with three TDs. Terrell Owens averages 70 receiving yards a game with two TDs. The defense allows 17.5 points per game. The Cardinals are 3-3 with Jake Plummer at quarterback. Thomas Jones averages 75 rushing yards a game. David Boston leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens the 49ers as 6-point home favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 5-2 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 4-3 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 3-3 | L3 |
| New York Jets | 2-4 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 3-3 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-3 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-4 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-6 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 4-2 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3-3 | L2 |
| Tennessee Titans | 2-4 | W1 |
| Houston Texans | 1-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 6-1 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 5-2 | W1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4-2 | L2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3-4 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 4-2 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 4-2 | L1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 2-5 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1-5 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4-2 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 3-3 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-4 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 2-4 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 6-1 | W5 |
| Chicago Bears | 2-4 | L4 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-4 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-5 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 6-1 | W3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-2 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-3 | W2 |
| Carolina Panthers | 3-4 | L4 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jose Cortez 45 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| 49ers | Terrell Owens 21 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-10 |
| 49ers | Tai Streets 47 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 5 yard rush ( Jose Cortez kick) | 0-24 |
| Cardinals | Marcel Shipp 7 yard rush ( Bill Gramatica kick) | 7-24 |
| 49ers | Terrell Owens 61 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Jose Cortez kick) | 7-31 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | Jake Plummer 34 yard rush ( Bill Gramatica kick) | 14-31 |
| Cardinals | Marcel Shipp 11 yard rush ( Bill Gramatica kick) | 21-31 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 9 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Jose Cortez kick) | 21-38 |
| Cardinals | Thomas Jones 7 yard rush ( Bill Gramatica kick) | 28-38 |
Jeff Garcia threw four touchdown passes and the 49ers crushed the Arizona Cardinals 38-28 at Candlestick Park. Garcia finished 18-of-28 for 252 yards. Terrell Owens caught eight for 132 with two touchdowns. Kevan Barlow ran for 51 with a touchdown. Jake Plummer threw three interceptions. The 49ers improved to 5-2 in the division home win.[1][2][3]
Jeff Garcia threw four touchdown passes Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The 49ers crushed the Arizona Cardinals 38-28 in the kind of division home win where the year's identity tape, after the Saints road loss, produced the kind of multi-TD statement performance the staff has been promising.
Garcia was 18-of-28 for 252 with the four touchdowns. Terrell Owens caught eight for 132 with two touchdowns. Kevan Barlow ran for 51 with a touchdown. Jake Plummer threw three interceptions. Thomas Jones ran for 54 with a touchdown. The kind of division home blowout where everything the year's identity has been producing actually worked.
5-2. The kind of division home win where the year's identity tape produced the kind of multi-TD performance the playoff race requires. The Oakland Raiders at home next Sunday in another cross-conference matchup. The kind of November where the 49ers' competitive identity, with the kind of season arc the staff has been building, has the chance to keep extending the year's win streak.
49ers 38, Cardinals 28. Margin: +10. Seven-game record: 5-2, +36 differential.
* Jeff Garcia: 18-of-28 for 252, 4 TDs (Owens x2 + 2), 0 INTs.
* Kevan Barlow: 18 carries for 51, 1 TD.
* Terrell Owens: 8 catches for 132, 2 TDs.
* Jake Plummer: 24-of-36 for 286, 0 TDs, 3 INTs.
* Thomas Jones: 15 carries for 54, 1 TD.
* David Boston: receiving production.
* 49ers D: 3 INTs of Plummer.
* 49ers 5-2; Cardinals 3-4.
A 38-28 division home win over the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick. Jeff Garcia throws four touchdown passes. The 49ers improve to 5-2.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored on their opening drive with a Garcia touchdown to Owens to make it 7-0. The Cardinals answered with a touchdown to tie at 7-7. The 49ers added a second Garcia touchdown to make it 14-7. The Cardinals added another touchdown to tie at 14-14 in the second quarter. The 49ers added two more touchdowns to make it 28-14 at halftime. The third quarter was a Cardinals touchdown to make it 28-21. The fourth quarter was two 49ers field goals and a touchdown plus a Cardinals touchdown. Final 38-28.
The turning point
Jeff Garcia's first-half multi-touchdown production. With four touchdowns by halftime, the kind of multi-TD passing the year's identity tape has been producing, Garcia's third-quarter touchdown drives gave the 49ers the kind of two-score lead the defense managed.
By the numbers
Garcia 252 passing on 28 attempts with four TDs. Kevan Barlow 51 rushing on 18 carries with a TD. Owens 132 receiving on 8 catches with two TDs. Plummer 286 on 36 attempts with three INTs. Thomas Jones 54 rushing with a TD.
Personnel watch
Jeff Garcia's four-touchdown passing day. Terrell Owens's 132 receiving yards with two TDs. Kevan Barlow's rushing TD. The defense's three interceptions of Plummer. The kind of division home win where everything the year's identity has been promising actually worked.
What it means
5-2 with the Raiders at home next Sunday. The kind of division home win where the year's identity tape, with three wins in four games since the bye, has produced the kind of season arc the playoff-bound team has been building. The NFC West remains the 49ers' division to win.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Garcia | 18/28 | 252 | 4 | 0 | |
| ARI | |||||
| Jake Plummer | 24/36 | 286 | 0 | 3 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Kevan Barlow | 18 | 51 | 1 | 13 |
| Garrison Hearst | 5 | 35 | 0 | 13 |
| Jeff Garcia | 5 | 14 | 0 | 13 |
| Fred Beasley | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| ARI | ||||
| Thomas Jones | 15 | 54 | 1 | 11 |
| Jake Plummer | 5 | 48 | 1 | 34 |
| Marcel Shipp | 6 | 27 | 2 | 13 |
| David Boston | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrell Owens | 8 | 132 | 2 | 61 |
| Tai Streets | 2 | 62 | 1 | 47 |
| Kevan Barlow | 4 | 35 | 1 | 15 |
| Garrison Hearst | 3 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Cedrick Wilson | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| ARI | ||||
| David Boston | 6 | 83 | 0 | 26 |
| Frank Sanders | 6 | 76 | 0 | 25 |
| MarTay Jenkins | 4 | 46 | 0 | 17 |
| Freddie Jones | 5 | 42 | 0 | 16 |
| Thomas Jones | 2 | 24 | 0 | 17 |
| Marcel Shipp | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
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