The 49ers (3-8) travel to Bank of America Stadium for a 1:15 PT kickoff against the Carolina Panthers (4-7).
Vinny Testaverde starts at quarterback for Carolina. DeShaun Foster runs the ball. Steve Smith leads the receivers. Trent Dilfer starts for the 49ers; Frank Gore at running back; Darrell Jackson at receiver.
Vinny Testaverde and a 4-7 Carolina Panthers team. The 49ers (3-8), off the Sunday Night Football upset of Arizona, travel to the kind of cross-conference road game where the year's identity tape gets another back-half audience.
Trent Dilfer stays the starter. Frank Gore the lead back. The Panthers come in with Testaverde at quarterback, DeShaun Foster as the lead back, and Steve Smith as the WR1. The kind of road game where 4-8 keeps the year's identity tape on the right note.
Favored by Carolina by 6 at home. The kind of December road game where the 49ers can build on the Arizona primetime upset.
Week 13 across the NFC sees the playoff field tightening. The Cowboys, Packers, Bears, Saints, Giants, Buccaneers, and Vikings compete for division titles and wild-card spots. The 49ers (3-8) trail the Cardinals (6-5) in the NFC West. The Panthers (4-7) are middling. The Sunday road game is the kind of week where the 49ers can keep the late-season identity tape going with a second straight upset win.
Through eleven games the 49ers are 3-8 with a -104 point differential. Trent Dilfer averages 6.4 yards per attempt with three TDs and six INTs across his five starts. Frank Gore averages 60 rushing yards a game with five TDs. Vernon Davis averages 58 receiving yards a game. The defense allows 24.6 points per game. The Panthers are 4-7 with Vinny Testaverde at quarterback. DeShaun Foster averages 55 rushing yards a game. Steve Smith leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens Carolina as 6-point home favorites; total 38.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 11-0 | W11 |
| Buffalo Bills | 5-6 | L2 |
| New York Jets | 2-9 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-11 | L11 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-3 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-4 | W2 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 4-7 | L5 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 9-2 | W2 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 8-3 | W3 |
| Tennessee Titans | 6-5 | L3 |
| Houston Texans | 5-6 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 6-5 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 5-6 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-7 | L4 |
| Oakland Raiders | 3-8 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-4 | W3 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 5-6 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-8 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 2-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 10-1 | W5 |
| New York Giants | 7-4 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5-6 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 5-6 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 10-1 | W6 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-5 | L3 |
| Chicago Bears | 5-6 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5-6 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-4 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-6 | W1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 4-7 | L5 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-8 | L2 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | John Kasay 19 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | Dante Rosario 5 yard pass from Vinny Testaverde ( John Kasay kick) | 0-10 |
| Panthers | Richard Marshall 73 yard interception return ( John Kasay kick) | 0-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Arnaz Battle 20 yard pass from Trent Dilfer ( Joe Nedney kick) | 7-17 |
| 49ers | Delanie Walker 21 yard pass from Trent Dilfer ( Joe Nedney kick) | 14-17 |
| Panthers | DeShaun Foster 1 yard rush ( John Kasay kick) | 14-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | Jeff King 1 yard pass from Vinny Testaverde ( John Kasay kick) | 14-31 |
Vinny Testaverde threw two touchdown passes and the Carolina Panthers beat the 49ers 31-14 at Bank of America Stadium. Trent Dilfer threw two touchdowns to Vernon Davis but added four interceptions. Davis caught a touchdown. Frank Gore ran for 58. DeShaun Foster ran for 58 and a touchdown. The 49ers fell to 3-9 with the loss.[1][2][3]
Vinny Testaverde, 44 years old, threw two touchdown passes Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium. The Carolina Panthers beat the 49ers 31-14 in the kind of cross-conference road loss where Trent Dilfer's four interceptions undid the kind of Vernon Davis touchdown game the year's identity tape was building.
Davis caught two for 53 with two touchdowns. Frank Gore ran for 58. The Panthers' DeShaun Foster ran for 58 and a touchdown. The defense surrendered two Testaverde touchdowns to a quarterback who had been a backup for most of the season.
3-9. The kind of cross-conference road loss that, against a beatable opponent, undid the kind of back-half identity-tape momentum the Arizona primetime upset produced. The Minnesota Vikings come to Candlestick next Sunday. Shaun Hill takes over at quarterback for the 49ers after the staff's evaluation of Dilfer's run.
Panthers 31, 49ers 14. Margin: -17. Twelve-game record: 3-9, -121 differential.
* Vinny Testaverde: 17-of-26 for 169, 2 TDs, 2 INTs.
* DeShaun Foster: 21 carries for 58, 1 TD.
* Steve Smith: receiving production.
* Trent Dilfer: 14-of-29 for 171, 2 TDs (Davis x2), 4 INTs.
* Frank Gore: 12 carries for 58.
* Vernon Davis: 5 catches for 53, 2 TDs.
* 49ers 3-9; Panthers 5-7.
A 31-14 cross-conference road loss at Carolina. The 49ers fall to 3-9.
How it unfolded
Carolina scored on its opening drive with a Testaverde touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Dilfer touchdown to Vernon Davis to tie at 7-7. The Panthers added a DeShaun Foster touchdown to make it 14-7. The second quarter was a Carolina field goal and a Testaverde second touchdown to push the lead to 24-7 at halftime. The third quarter was scoreless. The fourth quarter was a Dilfer touchdown to Davis to make it 24-14, then a Panthers touchdown to push the final to 31-14.
The turning point
Trent Dilfer's four interceptions. With the kind of multi-INT day that has been the year's year-long pattern, the turnovers gave Carolina the kind of short fields the home team's offense needed to overcome a quiet receiving day from Steve Smith.
By the numbers
Dilfer 171 passing on 29 attempts with two TDs and four INTs. Gore 58 rushing on 12 carries. Davis 53 receiving on 5 catches with two TDs. Testaverde 169 on 26 attempts with two TDs. DeShaun Foster 58 rushing with a TD.
Personnel watch
Trent Dilfer's four-interception game ended his run as the starter. The staff's evaluation will move to Shaun Hill for the Vikings game next Sunday. Vernon Davis's two-touchdown receiving day, the kind of TE production the year's identity tape is built on. Frank Gore quiet. Patrick Willis with another big tackle game.
What it means
3-9 with the Vikings at home next Sunday. The kind of road loss that, after the Arizona primetime upset, undid the momentum. Trent Dilfer's run as the starter ends; Shaun Hill, on the practice squad most of the year, takes over. The kind of December where the year's QB carousel rotates again.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Trent Dilfer | 14/29 | 171 | 2 | 4 | |
| CAR | |||||
| Vinny Testaverde | 17/26 | 169 | 2 | 2 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 12 | 58 | 0 | 11 |
| Maurice Hicks | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Trent Dilfer | 3 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arnaz Battle | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| CAR | ||||
| DeAngelo Williams | 17 | 82 | 0 | 23 |
| DeShaun Foster | 21 | 58 | 1 | 11 |
| Steve Smith Sr. | 2 | 21 | 0 | 16 |
| Brad Hoover | 2 | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| Vinny Testaverde | 2 | -2 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 5 | 53 | 0 | 22 |
| Arnaz Battle | 4 | 51 | 1 | 20 |
| Delanie Walker | 1 | 21 | 1 | 21 |
| Vernon Davis | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Darrell Jackson | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Ashley Lelie | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Maurice Hicks | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| CAR | ||||
| Steve Smith Sr. | 8 | 64 | 0 | 29 |
| DeAngelo Williams | 1 | 46 | 0 | 30 |
| DeShaun Foster | 3 | 35 | 0 | 23 |
| Drew Carter | 2 | 15 | 0 | 10 |
| Dante Rosario | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Jeff King | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2007 W13 - 49ers at Carolina Panthers - Game Thread