Packers 30 - 49ers 24: Hidden Nuggets

I mentioned before that I get a press release with some of the positive statistical performances from the day's game.  I'm thinking when the 49ers lose we'll call this Hidden Nuggets, since games like this sometimes require fans to look a little deeper for positives.  And we can continue our gold miner theme on the site, right?

Frank Gore
One of the more interesting numbers came from Frank Gore.  Gore's 42 yard rush pushed him over the 5,000 yard mark, making him just the fifth player in franchise history to reach that mark.  With 5,051 yards, Gore now stands 484 yards behind Garrison Hearst (5,535) for fourth on the 49ers all-time rushing list.  There are six games remaining on the season, and normally I'd think he could reach that mark, as he needs to average 80+ yards per game.  He might need a big game like he had against Seattle given how the offensive line is performing in front of him.  Throw in the lack of carries when the team falls behind and it will be interesting to see if that happens.

In addition, Gore scored a touchdown for the fourth consecutive game, which is a first for him.  Prior to this season, he had rushed for touchdowns in three straight games from 9/7/08 through 9/21/08.

Vernon Davis
Davis finished with six receptions for a career high 108 yards and one touchdown.  This was his second career 100-yard receiving game.  Davis also set a new single-season career-high with 601 receiving yards on the season.  He has 51 receptions on the season and needs 2 more receptions to break his single-season career-high of 52 receptions in 2007.

Additional random nuggets:

• WR Michael Crabtree hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass from QB Alex Smith for his first career touchdown. The 38-yard touchdown pass was the longest of the season for Smith.
• For the second time this season, QB Alex Smith tied his career-high with 3 touchdown passes. He previously tied this mark at Houston (10/25/09).
• K Joe Nedney’s 46-yard field goal in the first quarter moved him into 7th place on the 49ers all-time scoring list. He finished the day with 465 points, trailing WR Terrell Owens (502 points) for 6th place all-time.
• Seeing his first action at kick returner in his career, WR Josh Morgan notched the longest kickoff return of the season for the 49ers on a 76-yard return in the fourth quarter that set up an QB Alex Smith touchdown pass. Morgan finished the day with 2 returns for 101 yards.
• DT Justin Smith extended his consecutive starts streak to 133 games, which leads all defensive linemen. Arizona DT Darnell Dockett is second at 74 games.
• S Mark Roman extended his streak to 106 consecutive games played. He ranks 2nd in the NFL among safeties with 104 consecutive games played (Deon Grant, SEA – 137).