Alex Smith was pretty bad through the whole game up until the end and he deserves some credit for helping this team takeaway the victory he threw a very nice pass to d.jackson and i was pissed when jackson (2nd to terrell owens in most drops last season) dropped that throw but now after the win i'm not as mad.

Another thing, Frank Gore had that TD early in the game and i thought he was going to have another 100+ yard game but he was only ok tonight which is kind of weird because so was Steven Jackson and so was Larry Johnson and LT didn't even perform all that well during this week 1.

It was a very ugly game especially with all those stupid penalty's in the 2nd half by the Cardinals but i will take the win.

1 - 0

As far as the Niners' failure at offense, on the last drive the Cards put more people back in pass protection, so that suggests problems with the O-line. I'd swear that #24 was lining up our backfield. If it's a question of Wisenhunt really improving the Cards' front seven, then the Niners' offense should look better in St. Louis. When teams look like they're executing poorly, like the Niners' O did last night, that is usually because the other team is doing a good job disrupting things. The pass thrown a fraction of a second early or late, the receiver who was chipped at the line and couldn't quite get to a spot. All of these things could be the result of a good Cards defense.

As disappointed as I was with Davis, he was mostly near the line, either blocking or floating out for a checkdown. When he did go deeper Smith didn't have time. I'd like more information about the coverage on Davis and the wideouts. Does anyone remember many plays where Smith had more than a couple of seconds to look deep? Smith looked dazed out there, except for the end of the game, so it wasn't a concussion, it was a lack of time for each play.

Before the final drive how many times did the Niners throw on first down? The handoff to Gore was way too predictable, especially if you're losing the battle on the line of scrimmage. When you're losing the physical battle, then you devise strategies to regain the advantage. Maybe Hostler needs to go back up in the booth.

My diagnosis: The Cards defense right now is playing on all cylinders and a large part of the Niners not performing was on account of that. Every season even the best O lines take some time to jell, and so there's no need to panic there. The play-calling was way too conservative. Hostler did not adjust so much as Arizona began backing off the line of scrimmage in the last three minutes. Draws, screens, quick slants, keep in two backs and throw deep once in awhile. There are ways to slow down the rush. Hostler's play-calling has to improve.

They went out there and won one for BW.

Defense
This team's defense showed up tonight and carried the offense for most of the game, not unlike the Ravens D did previously for Nolan.  Guys hustled and were all over the place.  They made Cardinals pay in the form of taking hits whenever the opportunities presented themselves (i.e. Willis' hit on Leinart, M.Lewis' various hits on ball carriers).  They came in with Arizona claiming they would run more, but Manusky and Nolan stuck with shutting down the pass.  I would gladly give up 100 yards rushing if I could limit the passing game to less than 130 yards, and thats exactly what they did.  All in all, it was a very solid performance, and a very solid gameplan.

B.Y. showed the entire nation (or whoever was still up in the nation watching the game) that he still has what it takes to lead his team both on AND off the field.  He was constantly the victim of holds that weren't called and a phantom penalty that was huge, but he never lost his cool.  He just stuck with it and kept on trucking.

Patrick Willis was a frickin' monster.  Someone in the game day thread mentioned that it seems like he was playing at twice the speed of everyone else, and it truly did look like that.  The two plays I really remember are: when he laid a shoulder into Leinart just as he threw the ball, and (the most memorable moment) when he came on a blitz with Arizona backed up in their own end zone and exploded on (Arizona HB) Shipp.

The DBs did an awesome job keeping the potent Arizona WRs at bay.  Praise should go all around, but I can't help but praise Shawntae Spencer.  I think he, like many other 49er defenders, was all over the place.  Someone previously said (sometime during the preseason) that all he ever does in a game is get burned, and I take exception to that.  He's a pretty good corner, and is definitely an above average #3.

Offense
The offensive unit was pretty dismal all day.  I don't think that was entirely because the offense sucked, though.  If I recall correctly, the Cardinals' front seven has been rated above average (and beyond) the past couple of years.  The reason the team has been picked as a sleeper so much is because of their defense and those three wideouts.  Injuries have killed that defense the past couple of years, and tonight we may have witnessed their full potential.  Their blitzes were almost always spot on, with at least one of their blitzers coming in untouched.  Because of this tremendous pressure, the Alex Smith was never able to get into a rhythm with his wideouts.  Without that rhythm, the Cardinals knew they had little to fear in the 49ers' passing game.

Without any fear of the passing game, of course the running game (and Frank Gore) will struggle.  To the credit of the Arizona linebackers, they covered gaps well, and played the sideline to sideline game EXTREMELY well.  Frank (and any other 49ers back) really had no chance.

Fast forward to the last three minutes of the game.  Arnaz Battle shows why no matter who the team brings in to challenge for a starting WR spot, he won't relinquish it.  The guy blocks, runs, and catches.  He's as dependable as they come in every aspect of his game.  A perfectionist, if you will.  He showed tonight (with that block on the Smith scramble, the catch and subsequent fumble and subsequent TD run) why he is a favorite around Niners Nation.  The guy is a "gamer".

Last, but definitely not least, you can't really talk about the last three minutes without talking about Alex Smith.  Throughout the game, he had little opportunity to do much with anything.  When he did have the opportunity to, he overthrew/underthrew and threw wide of his intended targets.  I'm sure somewhere inside, he wanted to redeem himself.  He definitely did that in that last drive.  Everything he did in that last drive is why Nolan drafted him first in 2005.  He showed poise.  He showed confidence.  His athletic ability at that position is exceptionally useful.  Most of all, though, he showed great awareness and cognitive skills.  He lead this team on that last drive.  He didn't do it by just taking the reins and throwing the team on his back, he did it within the confines of the gameplan.  He didn't make any mistakes, as you noticed he refused to make any errant throws.  He "managed" the game, which is all Mike Nolan has ever asked of him.  This game, coupled with that Seattle game last year, have given me (and hopefully many others) hope that there's a fighter in him.  A winning fighter.

Overall
This game was, for the most part, boring to most people.  The defensive struggle and dismal offensive showing (from both teams) made it a tough game to watch for those who love points and who love high flying acrobatics.  I like these defensive struggles.  I like watching defensive players explode, pummel, disrupt, and psych out the opposing offenses.  It was an awesome game for me from start to finish.

This is not to say it wasn't frustrating.  As much as I like defensive struggles, I hoped the 49ers' offense had done more.  I woke up this morning the most exhausted I've been in a while (since I got Madden, I think), and I chalk it up to the entire game.  It's a good kind of exhaustion though, as it ended in a very good (three minute) showing from the 49ers offense, and a victory.

There were plenty of bad to take from this game, but I'm going to focus on the good.  As the old saying goes: a win is a win is a win.  Or something like that.  I (as well as every 49ers' player and coach) will gladly take this win.  I can't wait until next weekend, as I could do this exhaustion thing over and over.

Welcome back NFL.  More importantly, welcome back 49ers football.

Alex isn't quite at the point where he can go out there and call his own game. But Alex doesn't need to be Peyton Manning.  We just need him to throw the ball down field occasionally to keep defenses honest against Frank.  Frank makes life easier on Alex, this year is the time for Alex to start making life easier for Frank.  Vernon, DJax, Arnaz, Lelie... these guys are good...throw the damn ball to them!!  

You have to tip your cap to Arizona's defensive schemes.  They are known as an aggressive defense, and we were not able to exploit that to our advantage.  Once they let off the pedal, we were finally able to drive down the field.  As someone else pointed out, we needed more draws, screens, bootlegs, we just needed to mix it up more.  It looked like Hostler was playing Madden '08.

Jim Hostler: Write this one down: when it is 2nd and 1, GIVE THE FUCKING BALL TO FRANK!  I mean Arizona was playing a solid defensive game against Frank, but if you cannot line up against any team and get 1 yard on 3 consecutive plays, then you do not deserve to be in the NFL.  Don't fuck it up next time.

The referees almost made me pull my hair out.  That 15 yard face mask call against BY was complete BS.  And then they turn around and call a 5 yard version when we were on offense.  You could see the anger in Nolan's eyes, he looked like he was going to go nuclear.

Patrick Willis.  Is there really anthing that needs to be said other than HUZZAH!  This kid is spectacular.  In fact the entire defense looked solid.  Aubrayo Franklin is a beast.  He holds the point very well and I liked everything I saw from him.  Although we didn't see a lot of plays from Clements, you also didn't see many plays from Anquan Boldin.  Nate basically took him out of the game.  If Shawntae fucking Spencer can come around and not be a liability on the 10 plays that we need to rest Nate or Walt, then we will be a lot better off.  In fact, if I were Singletary, the instant Shawntae comes in, I blitz from his side of the field.  Teams know when Shawntae is in there and they start throwing to his side.

All in all, a great win.  Sure, I almost had a heart attack.  But I didn't, and the Niners are 1-0.  This was clearly an "ugly" win, but considering the fact that our defense is greatly improved, we are going to be in many more ugly games.  Look at the teams with good defenses: they tend to run the ball a lot on offense.  Force feed Frank, throw DEEP every once in a while, and we will have the chance to get to the playoffs.

Brandon Moore, probably my favorite player last year, made his presence felt when he got in the game last night.  Hopefully he can get back to his old self and start beasting like he did last year.  Derek Smith did ok but looked a little lost at times last night.  If Moore proves that his pre season missed tackles were a fluke, we're back in business.  

Lawson looked his best yet with a few pressures and good tackles.

I really wish Parys would have gotten in more....i think he brings great rush ability but didnt see the field much.

Staley looked good and i know smith got pressured but staley's side held strong and he did better than harris would have without a doubt

Now for Shawnte spencer.....if you read through the posts u saw sfgfan quote me on spencer.... i admit that i was really pleased to see spencer go up and take the ball (although fitzgerald stumbled) to end the game.  With that said, it was one play in the first game.  When i made those comments everyone said he was an above avg #2 corner.  Now he's an above avg #3.  That's good bc Harris showed he's not taking a seat.