The 49ers (5-6) host the New Orleans Saints (8-3) at Candlestick Park for a 1:15 PT kickoff.
Drew Brees starts at quarterback for the Saints. Deuce McAllister runs the ball. Marques Colston and Joe Horn lead the receivers. Alex Smith starts for the 49ers; Frank Gore at running back; Antonio Bryant at receiver. Vernon Davis the tight end.
Drew Brees and the 8-3 New Orleans Saints come to Candlestick Sunday afternoon. The 49ers (5-6), off the division road loss to the Rams, host the kind of cross-conference home game where, against a Saints team that has been the season's best NFC story, the year's identity tape gets one more big-name visitor.
Alex Smith stays the starter. Frank Gore the lead back. Antonio Bryant the WR1. The Saints come in with Brees healthy and Reggie Bush as the rookie threat.
Favored by New Orleans by 4.5 on the road. The kind of home game where a 49ers win against the conference's top NFC story would be the year's signature.
Week 13 across the NFC sees the playoff field nearly set. The Bears (9-2), Saints (8-3), Cowboys, Eagles, Falcons, and Giants compete for division titles and wild-card spots. The 49ers (5-6) trail the Seahawks (8-3) and Rams (5-6) in the NFC West. Around the AFC the Colts (10-1), Patriots, Bengals, and Chargers dominate. The Sunday game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against the conference's best NFC story, get one more credibility test.
Through eleven games the 49ers are 5-6 with a -86 point differential. Alex Smith averages 6.9 yards per attempt with 11 TDs and nine INTs. Frank Gore averages 101 rushing yards a game (team-record pace) with five TDs. Antonio Bryant averages 53 receiving yards a game with three TDs. The defense allows 25.3 points per game. The Saints are 8-3 with Drew Brees averaging 280 passing yards a game and 18 TDs/9 INTs. Deuce McAllister averages 85 rushing yards a game. Marques Colston leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens New Orleans as 4.5-point road favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 8-3 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 6-5 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 5-6 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-6 | W4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 9-2 | W5 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 6-5 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-7 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-8 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 10-1 | W1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 6-5 | L1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 4-7 | W2 |
| Houston Texans | 3-8 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 9-2 | W5 |
| Denver Broncos | 7-4 | L2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7-4 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 2-9 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-4 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 5-6 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5-6 | L1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2-9 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-4 | W3 |
| New York Giants | 6-5 | L3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5-6 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 4-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 9-2 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5-6 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-7 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-9 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 7-4 | W1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 6-5 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-6 | L4 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-8 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 29 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Reggie Bush 1 yard rush ( John Carney kick) | 3-7 |
| Saints | Reggie Bush 8 yard rush ( John Carney kick) | 3-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Antonio Bryant 48 yard pass from Alex Smith ( Joe Nedney kick) | 10-14 |
| Saints | John Carney 19 yard field goal | 10-17 |
| Saints | Reggie Bush 5 yard pass from Drew Brees ( John Carney kick) | 10-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Reggie Bush 10 yard rush ( John Carney kick) | 10-31 |
| Saints | John Carney 33 yard field goal | 10-34 |
Drew Brees threw for 186 yards and the New Orleans Saints beat the 49ers 34-10 at Candlestick Park. Deuce McAllister ran for 136 and a touchdown. Alex Smith threw for 171 and a touchdown to Antonio Bryant but added three interceptions. Frank Gore ran for 40. Antonio Bryant caught four for 79 with the touchdown. The 49ers fell to 5-7 with the loss.[1][2][3]
Deuce McAllister ran for 136 yards and a touchdown Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. Drew Brees threw for 186. The New Orleans Saints beat the 49ers 34-10 in the kind of cross-conference home loss where the visiting NFC contender, with the league's best NFC story playing the kind of football its 8-3 record predicted, exposed the 49ers' year-on-year arc.
Alex Smith threw three interceptions, the year's worst single-game turnover total. Antonio Bryant caught four for 79 with a touchdown. Frank Gore ran for 40 (his lowest production of the year). Vernon Davis was held to one for 11.
5-7. The kind of home loss where, against the conference's best NFC story, the 49ers' identity tape was the kind of result the line predicted. The Green Bay Packers on the road next Sunday Night Football in another late-season national matchup. The kind of December where the year's competitive arc, after the Frank Gore career-day high, has now produced two straight losses and a path back into the standings looks increasingly narrow.
Saints 34, 49ers 10. Margin: -24. Twelve-game record: 5-7, -110 differential.
* Drew Brees: 17-of-28 for 186, 1 TD, 0 INTs.
* Deuce McAllister: 26 carries for 136, 1 TD.
* Marques Colston: receiving production.
* Alex Smith: 14-of-28 for 171, 1 TD (Bryant), 3 INTs.
* Frank Gore: 13 carries for 40.
* Antonio Bryant: 4 catches for 79, 1 TD.
* 49ers 5-7; Saints 9-3.
A 34-10 home loss to the New Orleans Saints at Candlestick. The 49ers fall to 5-7.
How it unfolded
The Saints scored on their opening drive with a Brees touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Joe Nedney field goal. The Saints added a Deuce McAllister touchdown to push the lead to 14-3. The second quarter was another McAllister touchdown to make it 21-3 at halftime. The third quarter was a Brees touchdown to push the lead to 28-3. Alex Smith threw a touchdown to Antonio Bryant in the fourth to make it 28-10. The Saints added a final touchdown to close it 34-10.
The turning point
The Saints' two second-quarter touchdowns. With the 49ers down 14-3 and the offense looking for the kind of comeback the year's identity has produced, McAllister's pair of scoring drives pushed the lead to 21-3 and made the rest of the day a chase.
By the numbers
Smith 171 passing on 28 attempts with a TD and three INTs. Gore 40 rushing on 13 carries. Bryant 79 receiving on 4 catches with the TD. Davis 11 receiving. Brees 186 on 28 attempts with a TD. McAllister 136 rushing on 26 carries with a TD.
Personnel watch
Deuce McAllister's 136-yard rushing day, the kind of opposing back production that exposed the 49ers' run defense. Alex Smith's three-INT game (his worst of the year). Frank Gore's quietest game of the year (40 rushing). The kind of home loss where the visiting NFC contender's complete-team execution was too much.
What it means
5-7 with the Packers on Sunday Night Football next week. The kind of cross-conference home loss that confirmed the year's gap between the rebuilding 49ers and the NFC's actual contenders. The Frank Gore team-record pace continues but the team's competitive arc is now functionally over.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Alex Smith | 14/28 | 171 | 1 | 3 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Drew Brees | 17/28 | 186 | 1 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 13 | 40 | 0 | 12 |
| Bryan Gilmore | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Maurice Hicks | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| NOR | ||||
| Deuce McAllister | 26 | 136 | 0 | 18 |
| Reggie Bush | 10 | 37 | 3 | 10 |
| Drew Brees | 3 | 14 | 0 | 16 |
| Mike Karney | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Antonio Bryant | 4 | 79 | 1 | 48 |
| Arnaz Battle | 4 | 43 | 0 | 14 |
| Frank Gore | 5 | 28 | 0 | 7 |
| Vernon Davis | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| NOR | ||||
| Reggie Bush | 9 | 131 | 1 | 74 |
| Joe Horn | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Devery Henderson | 2 | 14 | 0 | 11 |
| Mark Campbell | 2 | 10 | 0 | 7 |
| Mike Karney | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Deuce McAllister | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Jamal Jones | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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