49ers vs. Cardinals: A Prospector's Guide

The San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday at 1:25 p.m. PT, in their third divisional game of the season, and their first home divisional matchup. The 49ers have claimed seven of the last eight games in this series dating back to 2009.

The Cardinals offense has struggled quite a bit this year, but their defense brings some serious talent to the table. They are currently ranked tenth in points allowed. The most notable stat is rushing defense. Football Outsiders ranks them fifth in the NFL in stopping the run, and fourth in adjusted line yards. The 49ers last two wins have come on the backs of strong defense and rushing. This will be a challenge for the 49ers run game. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter have stepped up their game the last two weeks. It will be interesting to see how the 49ers game plan against the Cardinals run defense, which has given 79 yards per game, good for third in the league.

NaVorro Bowman

• In his first career start, led the team with a season-high 15 tack- les vs. Arz. (1/2/11).
• Sacked Cardinals QB John Skelton late in the 2nd qtr. at Arz (10/29/12), giving him 2.0 sacks for the season and 4.0 for his career.

Ahmad Brooks

• Set single-game career-highs in sacks (3 - QB Kurt Warner) and FFs (2) vs. Arz. (12/14/09).
• Brought down QB Richard Bartel on the final series of the game vs. Arz. (1/2/11) for his 5th sack of the season. Also registered his first career INT, intercepting Cardinals QB John Skelton and returning it 32 yds. to the Cardinals 8-yd. line, setting up a TD.

Tarell Brown

• Made his NFL debut vs. Arz. (9/10/07) and made his first career start at Arz. (11/10/08).
• Registered his first TD of his career, intercepting QB Richard Bartel and taking it 62 yds. for the score vs. Arz. (1/2/11).
• Notched his first INT of the season and 6th of his career at Arz. (12/11/11), intercepting Cardinals QB John Skelton.
• Registered 6 PDs at Arz. (10/29/12), setting a new career high. According to the NFL Gamebook statistics, the 6 PDs by Brown were the most by any player in the NFL that season.
• Intercepted a QB Brian Hoyer pass in the 4th qtr. vs. Arz. (12/30/12). It marked his second INT of the season.

Craig Dahl

• Tallied 7 tackles, 1.0 sack and an INT that led to a FG by K Josh Brown at Arz. (12/5/10) as a member of the St. Louis Rams. It marked his 2nd career sack and his 1st career INT.

Vernon Davis

• Ranks 1st in the NFL among active TEs with 547 rec. yds. and 6 TDs on 40 recepts. against Arz.
• Made NFL debut and first career start at Arz. (9/10/06), hauling in a 31-yd. TD recept. on his first NFL catch.
• Caught 3 passes for 96 yds. and 1 TD vs. Arz. (1/2/11).

Frank Gore

• In 14 games against Arz., he has rushed for 994 yds. and 11 TDs on 213 carries, while adding 39 recepts. for 362 yds. and 1 TD.
• Named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after having one of his best outings of the season at Arz. (11/25/07), rushing for 116 yds. and 2 TDs on 21 carries and recording 11 recepts. and 98 receiving yds. in 37-31 OT win. The 11 recepts. by a RB marked the 2nd-most in team history, behind the 12 recepts. RB Roger Craig totaled twice.
• Notched the fifth 1,000-yd. rushing season of his career, record- ing 72 yds. and 1 TD on 10 carries at Arz. (12/11/11). Gore registered his 6th rushing TD of the season and 41st of his career on a 37-yd. run.
• In the regular season finale vs. Arz. (12/30/12), he notched his 51st career rushing TD, surpassing HOF RB Joe Perry (50) and RB Roger Craig (50) for the most rushing TDs in franchise history.

Colin Kaepernick

• Threw for 276 yds. and 2 TDs vs. Arz. (12/30/12). He finished the game with a 114.6 QB rating, his second-highest total of the season [133.1 vs. Chi. (11/19/12)].

Carlos Rogers

• Intercepted a QB Kurt Warner pass and returned it 42 yds. to set up go-ahead TD vs. Arz. (9/21/08), while with Washington.

Aldon Smith

• Brought down QB John Skelton in the 3rd qtr. for his 10.5 sack of the season. at Arz. (12/11/11). Smith became the first 49er to record double-digit sacks since 2002 (DE Andre Carter 12.5). He also notched his 2nd FF of the season after stripping the ball from Skelton in the same game.
• Registered 2.0 sacks at Arz. (10/29/12) giving him 21.5 career sacks. Smith reached 20.0 career sacks in just 24 games, becoming the 2nd fastest in 49ers history, behind Hall of Famer Fred Dean who reached 20.0 sacks in 23 games from 1982-83.

Justin Smith

• Made 49ers debut vs. Arz. (9/7/08) and had 8 tackles and 1 sack.
• Tallied 1 sack, 1 FF, 13 QB pressures and 9 hits on QB Kurt War- ner at Arz. (9/13/09). The sack and FF came as time expired to seal the victory.
• Registered 3.0 sacks vs. Arz. (1/2/11).

Donte Whitner

• Registered a FR and an INT vs. Arz. (11/20/11). He returned the INT 48 yds., marking the second longest return of his career (76 yds. for a TD – 9/20/09 vs. TB).

Patrick Willis

• In 8 career games vs. Arz., he has recorded 93 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 3 FFs and 7 PDs. • Made his NFL debut and first-career start vs. Arz. (9/10/07) on Monday Night Football and recorded 15 total tackles.
• Registered his first-career FF vs. Arizona (9/10/07) by stripping RB Edgerrin James. Later that season, he had a career-high 15 solo tackles at Arz. (11/25/07).
• Intercepted Cardinals QB John Skelton in the 1st qtr. vs. Arz. (11/20/11). He also registered 3 PDs and a FF after stripping RB Beanie Wells.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 43
Series Record: 49ers lead 26-17
49ers Home Record vs. Cardinals: 49ers lead series 15-8
First Meeting: 11/18/51, Cardinals win 27-21, at SF
Last Meeting: 12/30/12, 49ers win 27-13, at SF
Current Streak: Won 2
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (Three times)
Longest Cardinals Win Streak: 4 (Twice)
Most 49ers Points: 50 (12/07/03): 49ers win 50-14, at SF
Most Cardinals Points: 34 (Twice)
49ers Shutouts: None
Cardinals Shutouts: None

2013 Statistics