Cardinals game notes

Yadahell · Oct 29, 2012

49ers giving up fewer long pass plays - 49ers - The Sacramento Bee

Jikkle · Oct 29, 2012

Yadahell said:
49ers giving up fewer long pass plays - 49ers - The Sacramento Bee

My belief is this due to offenses scheming quick passes to counter our pass rush which is why our sacks are down.

So QBs are avoiding sacks by getting rid of the ball quickly but they are throwing to receivers that are well covered and quickly tackled and don't have a chance to really get YAC.

Yadahell · Oct 29, 2012

Jikkle said:
My belief is this due to offenses scheming quick passes to counter our pass rush which is why our sacks are down.

So QBs are avoiding sacks by getting rid of the ball quickly but they are throwing to receivers that are well covered and quickly tackled and don't have a chance to really get YAC.

Agreed. Can't afford any of those long pass plays tonight (the article above mentions) if Skelton does get enough to time to get an intermediate to deep throw off.

That game was so bizarre last year at AZ. After the 49ers went up 19-7 early in the 2nd half, I thought the Cardinals were done. I don't see the Cardinals getting 3 TD's again tonight.

ChrisPozz · Oct 29, 2012

San Francisco 49ers offensive line underrated, John Madden says - San Jose Mercury News

ChrisPozz · Oct 29, 2012

‘Monday Night’ marquee features 49ers-Cardinals for fifth time in six seasons | 49ers Hot Read

Only the Rams’ franchise and the New York Giants have faced the 49ers more often on “Monday Night Football,” doing so eight and seven times, respectively.

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

49ers pound the Cardinals, take control of the NFC West | ProFootballTalk

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

San Francisco 49ers – Niner Insider Blog – SFGate.com Smith, smothering defense headline 49ers’ 24-3 drubbing of Cardinals

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

49ers twitter:

The #49ers tied a team record by allowing just 7 rushing yards against the Arizona Cardinals. #Steamrollers

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

Maiocco's Instant Replay: 49ers 24, Cardinals 3

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

San Francisco 49ers show Arizona Cardinals who's boss - NFL.com

Jim Harbaugh dismissed the notion that Smith needed a game like this to help his confidence coming off a subpar stretch of play.

"I don't think there was ever a question there," the 49ers coach said. "I think it's just a lot of gobble-gobble turkey."

The coach was asked to clarify.

"Just gobble, gobble, gobble turkey from jive-turkey gobblers, you know?" he said. "It paints a pretty good picture."

(Who's better than Harbaugh? Nobody.)

What the heck? I have NO idea what he's getting at.

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

San Francisco 49ers notebook: Randy Moss breaks free for second touchdown as a 49er - San Jose Mercury News

Of Frank Gore's 55 yards, he gained 23 on his first three carries.

The Cardinals have won only one of the nine "Monday Night Football" games they've hosted in Arizona.

The Cardinals became the third team in NFL history to start 4-0 and then lose four straight. The predecessors were the 2002 Raiders and 1993 Eagles.

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

San Francisco 49ers beat Arizona Cardinals 24-3 - San Jose Mercury News

Smith quipped about his confidence: "It was in my closet. I found it."

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For the fourth time in five games, the 49ers didn't allow a touchdown, and it took a gang tackle on Larry Fitzgerald's fourth-down catch to stop him at the 1-yard line in the final minute.

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"I've been working so hard with (Smith) at practice to be a threat in the red zone," Crabtree said, "and he trusted me today.

I'm out there playing," he said of the matchup with Peterson. "I don't see no names."

ChrisPozz · Oct 30, 2012

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals - Recap - October 29, 2012 - ESPN

"Everyone's surprised. My 5-year-old son's surprised," Dockett said, "but at the end of the day it wasn't like he had to make the long perfect throws. He had some guys open and we missed some tackles and they made plays."

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LaRod Stephens-Howling was hit in the backfield on four of his eight rushes. Stephens-Howling finished the day with six yards on eight rushes despite registering seven yards after contact, meaning his average point of first contact was behind the line of scrimmage. Six times this season a running back has had at least eight rushes and an average point of first contact behind the line of scrimmage, and Stephens-Howling is the only one who's done it twice. Entering Sunday, Stephens-Howling had been hit in the backfield on 30.2 percent of his rushes, most among any player with at least 40 rushes.

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Alex Smith set an NFL record with 19 attempts and only one incompletion on Monday night against the Cardinals. Smith's lone incompletion was a dropped pass by Delanie Walker in the second quarter. Smith's average pass length was 5.6 yards downfield, his shortest in a game this season.

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The 49ers' receivers were able to turn Alex Smith's short throws into long plays Monday, gaining 107 yards after the catch, their second-most in any game in the last five seasons. Michael Crabtree had a team-high 61 yards after the catch, his most in a game this season, and Randy Moss' lone reception was a 47-yard touchdown pass on which he gained 41 yards after the catch.

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The Cardinals sent at least five pass rushers on 12 of Alex Smith's 24 dropbacks, the first time this year Smith faced added pressure on at least half of his dropbacks in a game. Smith responded by completing 7-of-8 passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns. Smith's average throw distance was only 5.1 yards downfield against added pressure, his lowest of the season, and his receivers gained 82 yards after the catch on seven catches against added pressure, more than the last four games combined.