The San Francisco 49ers improved to 8-4 Sunday evening with a win over the St. Louis Rams that was not really as close as the 23-13 final score indicated. The team's defense dominated throughout, and the offense started showing signs of what it can become with more skill position players getting healthy.
This win was an example of why basic yardage stats are not the best for assessing teams. The 49ers finished the game with 338 yards, while the Rams finished with 312 yards. Upwards of 100 of those yards came after the 49ers had more or less put the game away. The 49ers "total defense" stat won't reflect it, but things like DVOA over at Football Outsiders will more accurately reflect what we already know about this strong defense.
The 49ers sent out the miscellaneous stats from the game, and I've posted them below. My favorite one might be the note that Frank Gore surpassed Joe Perry for the most rushing yards by any NFL running back against the St. Louis Rams.
Vernon Davis also gets a shout-out for his 50th career touchdown reception. He hauled in his tenth touchdown of the season, giving him his second double digit touchdown season. He scored 13 touchdowns in 2009, setting a record for tight ends that was subsequently eclipsed. With four regular season games remaining, Davis has a shot at matching that total.
Finally, another solid performance from kicker Phil Dawson. His longest kick was 43 yards, but his three field goals gives him 16 straight successful field goal kicks. He is two behind Joe Nedney's franchise record 18 from 2006 to 2007.
With The Win...
- The 49ers improved to 20-7-1 against opponents in the NFC West since 2009, giving the 49ers the 3rd best winning percentage in the NFL, against divisional opponents during that span.
| Best Divisional Win % In The NFL Since 2009 | |||
Rank | Team | Record | Win % |
1. | New England | 23-5 | .821 |
2. | Green Bay | 21-7-1 | .741 |
3. | San Francisco | 20-7-1 | .732 |
4. | Indianapolis | 20-8 | .714 |
5. | New Orleans | 19-8 | .704 |
- The 49ers improved their all-time record against StL to 64-62-3, and 22-21-1 against the Rams at Candlestick Park. San Francisco's 64 victories against StL are the most for the 49ers versus any other franchise.
49ers All-Time Victories Against Opponents | ||
Rank | Team | Wins |
1. | St. Louis | 64 |
2. | New Orleans | 47 |
3. | Atlanta | 45 |
4. | Detroit | 37 |
5. | Chicago | 32 |
- The 49ers improved to 9-2-1 against the Rams in the last 12 matchups, and swept the season series against StL for the 20th time in franchise history.
- The 49ers improved to 3-0-1 under head coach Jim Harbaugh following a Monday Night Football contest.
- Harbaugh improved his record as a head coach against the Rams to 4-1-1.
- Harbaugh improved his record as a head coach to 7-3 in the month of December.
Franchise Frank
- RB Frank Gore had 15 carries for 42 yds. and 1 TD, giving him 8 rushing TDs on the season and 59 for his career.
- With 42 yds. rushing against the Rams, Gore now has more rushing yds. against StL than any other player in NFL history with 1,191 yds. He has also tallied the most rushing TDs against StL in NFL history with 15.
| Most Rushing Yds. Against St. Louis In NFL History | Most Rushing TDs Against St. Louis In NFL History | ||||
Rank | Player | Yds. | Rank | Player | TDs |
1. | Frank Gore | 1,191 | 1. | Frank Gore | 15 |
2. | Joe Perry | 1,180 | 2. | Lenny Moore | 12 |
3. | Jim Taylor | 1,142 | 3. | Jim Taylor | 10 |
4. | Roger Craig | 1,026 | 4t. | Shaun Alexander | 9 |
5. | Shaun Alexander | 968 | Roger Craig | 9 | |
- With the start against the Rams, Gore has now started 40 consecutive games, which is the longest current streak among active RBs.
VD Keeps Climbing The Charts
- TE Vernon Davis registered 4 recepts. for 82 yds. and 1 TD. He now has 10 TD recepts. on the season and 50 career rec. TDs.
- With 50-career rec. TDs, Davis moved into sole possession of 4th place in franchise history.
Most Career Rec. TDs In Franchise History | ||
Rank | Player | TDs |
1. | Jerry Rice | 176 |
2. | Terrell Owens | 81 |
3. | Gene Washington | 59 |
4. | Vernon Davis | 50 |
5. | Billy Wilson | 49 |
Boldin Shines Against St. Louis
- WR Anquan Boldin registered 9 recepts. for 98 yds.
- With 98 rec. yds. vs. StL, WR Anquan Boldin passed Billy Howton (1,291) and now ranks 4th in NFL history with 1,326 rec. yds. against the Rams. Boldin also ranks 3rd in NFL history with 97 career recepts. against StL.
| Most Rec. Yds. Against St. Louis In NFL History | Most Recepts. Against St. Louis In NFL History | ||||
Rank | Player | Yds. | Rank | Player | Yds. |
1. | Jerry Rice | 2,551 | 1. | Jerry Rice | 166 |
2. | Larry Fitzgerald | 1,393 | 2. | Larry Fitzgerald | 110 |
3. | Raymond Berry | 1,336 | 3. | Anquan Boldin | 97 |
4. | Anquan Boldin | 1,326 | 4. | Raymond Berry | 92 |
5. | Billy Howton | 1,291 | 5. | Terance Mathis | 77 |
Kapitalizing
- QB Colin Kaepernick completed 19 of 28 passes for 275 yds., 1 TD and a passer rating of 111.5. The 49ers are 12-0 when Kaepernick starts and has a passer rating of 90.0 or higher.
Crab Makes His Season Debut
- In his first action of the season, WR Michael Crabtree started and hauled in 2 recepts. for 68 yds.
- His 60-yd. recept. in the 3rd quarter tied his career-long [60-yd. TD recept. at StL (12/26/10)].
Meeting At The QB
- The 49ers defense registered 3.0 sacks on Rams QB Kellen Clemens.
- In his 50th career start, DT Ray McDonald brought down Clemens, giving him 2.5 sacks on the season and 15.5 for his career.
- LB NaVorro Bowman registered his 3rd sack of the season, 7th of his career, bringing down Clemens. The 3.0 sacks for Bowman sets a single-season career-high (2.0 in 2012).
- LB Patrick Willis tallied his 2nd sack of the season, 19.5 of his career, as he sacked Clemens.
Feeling Picky
- CB Carlos Rogers hauled in his 2nd INT of the season and 17th of his career, picking of Rams QB Kellen Clemens.
The Streak Continues
- K Phil Dawson has made 16 consecutive FGs and his now tied for the 3rd-longest streak in franchise history.
| Player (Timeframe) | FGs |
1. | Joe Nedney (11/26/06 - 9/30/07) | 18 |
2. | Mike Cofer (12/4/88 - 10/1/89) | 17 |
3t. | Phil Dawson (10/6/13 - 12/1/13) | 16 |
Wade Richey (12/27/98 - 11/7/99) | 16 | |
Gary Anderson (9/14/97 - 11/10/97) | 16 | |
6. | David Akers (10/9/11 - 11/13/11) | 15 |