Week 1 Game Recap: San Francisco 49ers 27, Arizona Cardinals 34

What you need to know

San Francisco 49ers

Alex Smith seems to be a vastly improved player entering his second year. He started well and led the 49ers to a touchdown on their opening drive, finding TE Vernon Davis for a 31 yard score. Smith looked in control of his offense for most of the game and threw for 288 yards and no interceptions.

Frank Gore was very much involved every time the 49ers had the ball. He touched the ball 22 times, gaining 170 total yards with two touchdowns. Gore was a factor on the ground and through the air.

Antonio Bryant had 114 yards receiving, and it could have been a lot more. He had a 52 yard touchdown nullified due to a holding penalty. Bryant was clearly Smith’s favorite target, especially when he threw the ball deep.

TE Vernon Davis had mixed fortunes in the game. He scored a 31 yard touchdown on his very first NFL catch, but he also dropped two easy passes and fumbled the ball away on another occasion.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals were playing their first ever game in their new stadium and the crowd noise was a factor.

Kurt Warner played well for most of the game. He threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns and did not have any interceptions. He scrambled well to create enough time for receivers to get open. His one error came when he was sacked and he fumbled away possession. Although Warner only threw to his tight ends three times, Adam Bergen caught one of the passes for a seven yard touchdown.

RB Edgerrin James had a slow start, averaging under two yards per carry in the first half. But he did manage to score a one yard touchdown. Things improved a little in the second half, and the Cardinals were able to secure the win by establishing the run to some extent. They averaged almost four yards per carry in the second half.

The receivers were very involved in the game. Warner heavily favored Larry Fitzgerald in the first half, but looked to Anquan Boldin more after the break. Fitzgerald ended with 133 yards, catching nine of his 14 targets. Boldin caught four of nine for 62 yards and a touchdown.

What you ought to know

QB Alex Smith, Pass: 23 - 40 - 288 - 1 TD / 0 INT

Smith looked like he was capable of leading the 49ers’ offense. He matched his touchdown total of 2005 by throwing a 31 yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis on the opening drive. Smith almost had a pass intercepted by David Macklin earlier in the drive. Smith had to deal with the loss of LG Larry Allen on the opening drive and Allen was unable to return. Allen suffered a knee injury, and is listed as doubtful for week two. LT Jonas Jennings injured an ankle and missed the end of the first half and the start of the second before returning. Smith was pressured from that side but was only sacked once during the game when running out of bounds for a loss. Smith found nine receivers during the game, but Antonio Bryant was clearly his favorite target. Bryant was also the main deep threat and had a 52 yard touchdown nullified on a holding penalty. Smith did a good job of involving Frank Gore in the passing game, finding him six times on nine targets. Smith was almost picked by Antrel Rolle when looking deep to Bryant late in the game.

RB Frank Gore, Rush: 16 - 87 - 2, Rec: 6 - 83 - 0 (9 targets)

Gore had a good start to the game, breaking a 32 yard run on the opening offensive play. Gore converted on third and seven by catching an 11 yard pass to help set up the opening touchdown. He fumbled on the 49ers’ second drive, giving the Cardinals possession on the 49ers’ five yard line. Gore recovered well, gaining 39 yards on a pass during the 49ers’ fourth drive, before finishing the drive with a four yard touchdown run. It looked like he had been stopped on the touchdown run, but he kept driving with his legs to carry the defenders into the end zone. Gore showed the same power on several carries, one of which led to a two yard touchdown run early in the second half. He finished the game with 170 total yards and two touchdowns.

RB Michael Robinson, Rush: 1 - -2 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets)

Robinson was targeted once, making the catch for a nine yard gain.

RB Chris Hetherington, Rec: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets)

Hetherington caught one pass for no gain and was not otherwise involved in the offense.

RB Maurice Hicks, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Hicks caught his only target for seven yards. His main contribution came in the return game where he averaged over 25 yards per return.

WR Antonio Bryant, Rec: 4 - 114 - 0 (10 targets)

Bryant had a big game, but it could have been huge. He only saw the ball thrown his way three times in the first half, and he failed to make a catch. As the 49ers chased the game in the second half, Bryant became more involved. He had catches of 18, 25, 46 and 25 yards, all for first downs. The first was a great catch on an inaccurate pass. The second was another good catch but he fumbled the ball on the way to the ground and it wasn’t called. After making the 46 yard reception, Bryant gave back 15 yards on a taunting call. His biggest play came on a 52 yard touchdown that was nullified due to a holding call. The ball flew 40 yards in the air and hit Bryant in stride. Bryant was targeted in the end zone on the 49ers’ final drive, but the pass was broken up.

WR Bryan Gilmore, Rush: 1 - 22 - 0, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (4 targets)

Gilmore caught two of his four targets. His longest reception went for 15 yards and a first down. He also ran for 22 yards and a first down on a trick play.

WR Arnaz Battle, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets)

Battle was targeted four times in the first half. He caught two passes, including one for 12 yards and a first down. He was not targeted at all in the second half.

TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 5 - 37 - 1 (7 targets)

Davis had a mixed NFL debut. His first reception went for a 31 yard touchdown when Smith found him wide open after faking to Gore. Davis later made a catch but lost the ball after a hit and fumbled away possession. He missed a few minutes when he had to go to the locker room, but returned to finish out the first half. He was targeted five more times in the second half. Two were well thrown balls which Davis simply dropped. Another went for a four yard loss as Smith threw short to evade the sack. Davis ended with five catches for 37 yards and looked to be a factor in the passing game. Only Bryant and Gore had more targets.

TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (3 targets)

Johnson came into the game when Vernon Davis left for the locker room. He caught one of his three passes for two yards, and had another ruled incomplete after it was knocked loose as he made the catch.

PK Joe Nedney 2 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points

Nedney made field goals of 22 yards and 44 yards, as well as three extra points. He missed badly on a 34 yard field goal try.

SF Rush Defense

The 49ers managed to stop Edgerrin James in the first half, allowing him just 27 yards on 14 attempts. They also stopped him at the goal line but saw him leap over the defenders on the next play for a one yard score. Derek Smith led the team with eight tackles and an assist. The second half saw the Cardinals move the ball a little better on the ground as they tried to run out the clock, but the 49ers allowed just 84 yards on 29 attempts. No running play went for more than ten yards.

SF Pass Defense

The 49ers’ pass defense had a tough day, allowing Warner to post a 300 yard game. DB Walt Harris, DE Bryant Young and LB Brandon Moore each registered a sack. Walt Harris had a good game with five solo tackles as well as the sack and a fumble recovery at the Cardinals’ seven yard line. Sammy Davis dropped an easy interception on the Cardinals’ opening drive.

QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 23 - 37 - 301 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0

Warner played a good opening game, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He did not have an interception in the game, but fumbled a snap which the Cardinals managed to recover. After almost being picked off by Sammy Davis on the Cardinals’ opening drive, Warner led the team down the field. He threaded a perfect pass through a crowd to find Troy Walters for a two yard touchdown. Warner was able to buy time by scrambling and allowing receivers to get open. He had a lot of time on the Cardinals’ third drive, before eventually finding Boldin for a six yard touchdown completion. He fumbled away possession after being sacked by Walt Harris, and also lost the ball after being sacked by Brandon Moore, but the Cardinals retained possession. Warner’s favorite target was Larry Fitzgerald who saw ten targets in the first half alone. Warner involved Anquan Boldin more in the second half but Fitzgerald was the most targeted receiver in the game.

RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 26 - 73 - 1, Rec: 3 - 13 - 0 (6 targets)

James got off to a slow start in the game. The Cardinals looked incapable of moving the ball on the ground. James did have a goal line carry on the Cardinals’ opening drive but he was stopped for a loss. The defense had 12 men on the field however. After that drive ended with a touchdown pass, the Cardinals fed James the ball on their second drive. He carried from the five yard line and was stopped a foot short. He then appeared to get in but was ruled down, before scoring on his third carry after diving over the defenders. James only managed 27 yards on 14 carries in the first half. During the second half, James started to get a little more running room. He had a 13 yard carry ruled out due to an illegal shift. Late in the game, he had an 11 yard carry to the one, but it was ruled out because of a holding penalty. He ended the day with 26 carries for 73 yards and a score and also caught three of his six targets for a total of 13 yards.

RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0

Arrington saw his first carry with 2:54 left in the third quarter. He ended the day with 11 yards on two carries and was not targeted in the passing game. His main contribution came on five kick returns.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 9 - 133 - 0 (14 targets)

Fitzgerald had ten targets in the first half and was Warner’s favorite target. He came up with a 17 yard catch on the Cardinals’ opening drive and made a good diving catch on their third possession as Warner hit him while on the run. Fitzgerald was hit over the middle for an 18 yard gain before being targeted near the goal line on a pass that was broken up. He converted on third and three for a nine yard gain before the half, but the drive ended when he dropped a catchable ball. He was involved less in the second half, but he made an 18 yard gain over the middle to keep alive a touchdown drive on the Cardinals’ third possession of the half. His longest reception of the day came near the end of the game when he converted a third and ten with a 28 yard catch.

WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 4 - 62 - 1 (9 targets)

Boldin did not see much of the ball in the first half. He was the intended receiver on the Cardinals’ opening drive when Warner almost threw an interception. His only other target of the half resulted in a six yard touchdown after Warner was given too much time to find an open receiver. Boldin was targeted a lot more often in the second half. He dropped one ball and saw another land at his feet. Warner then found him on two slant plays, each gaining 19 yards. He broke tackles on his final reception for an 18 yard gain.

WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 2 - 51 - 0 (3 targets)

Johnson was an important contributor on the Cardinals’ opening drive. He caught a 12 yard pass for a first down and then converted on third and ten for a 39 yard gain. He was only targeted once more in the game and did not make the catch.

WR Troy Walters, Rec: 2 - 15 - 1 (2 targets)

Walters only saw two passes come his way on the day. He caught the first for a two yard touchdown, and the second for a 13 yard gain and a first down.

TE Adam Bergen, Rec: 2 - 18 - 1 (2 targets)

Bergen caught both of his targets. The most important one was a seven yard touchdown reception which found him free in the end zone.

TE Leonard Pope, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets)

Pope was only targeted once in the game, making the catch for a nine yard gain.

PK Neil Rackers 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points

Rackers was perfect on the day, hitting field goals from 36 yards and 30 yards in addition to his four extra points.

ARI Rush Defense

The Cardinals had trouble stopping the run all day. They gave up 107 net rushing yards at 5.9 yards per carry. Frank Gore ran for 32 yards on the opening offensive play of the game. The defense also looked ineffective in short yardage situations, allowing Gore to move the pile after first contact. The defense conceded a four yard touchdown after hitting Gore at the line of scrimmage, and then a two yard score after hitting Gore in the backfield.

ARI Pass Defense

The Cardinals’ pass defense created pressure on the quarterback but only registered one sack when Gerald Hayes ran Alex Smith out of bounds for a loss. Hayes and Dockett each recovered a fumble in the game. Eric Green came close to sacking Smith on several occasions and Adrian Wilson and Bertrand Berry also created good pressure at times. Antrel Rolle almost had a pick near the end of the game when Smith targeted Antonio Bryant on a deep pass.