The San Francisco 49ers are on their way home following a big road win over the New Orleans Saints. After a strong start, things got ugly for the 49ers. It looked like they were going to blow the game, but Colin Kaepernick completed a huge 51-yard pass to set up a game-tying field goal. The 49ers got an even bigger strip sack in overtime, and a field goal sent them home happy.
There is plenty for the 49ers to learn from this game, and it reinforced many of the issues we have seen with the team. That being said, getting a road win in one of the tougher places to play is huge. It buys the team a week to continue working on their offensive problems. It buys the team a week toward getting their players back on the field. The 49ers have plenty of work to do, but for today, things are not too shabby.
Here is a rundown of various stats from Sunday's win.
With the Win...
- The 49ers improved to 20-9 on the road in the regular season under head coach Jim Harbaugh. San Francisco's .690 winning pct. on the road since 2011 ranks first in the NFL over that time span.
- Head coach Jim Harbaugh became the 2nd fastest head coach to reach 20 road victories in franchise history, reaching the mark in just 29 games.
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FASTEST TO 20 ROAD WINS, FRANCHISE HISTORY |
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|
Coach |
Games Needed |
Road Record At 20th Win |
|
George Seifert |
25 |
20-5 (.800) |
|
Jim Harbaugh |
29 |
20-9 (.690) |
|
Dick Nolan |
37 |
20-17 (.541) |
|
Bill Walsh |
39 |
20-19 (513) |
|
Steve Mariucci |
44 |
20-24 (.455) |
- The 49ers improved to 21-12 all-time at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
- The 49ers improved to 48-25-2 against New Orleans all-time.
- The 49ers improved to 2-1 against the Saints under head coach Jim Harbaugh in the regular season.
- Since 2011...
- The 49ers improved to 5-2 against the NFC South.
- The 49ers improved to 30-12-1 vs. the NFC.
- The 49ers improved to 7-4-1 in the month of November.
Fantastic Finish
- With 5:28 remaining in overtime, LB Ahmad Brooks sacked and stripped the ball from Saints QB Drew Brees deep in Saints territory. LB Chris Borland recovered the loose ball on the Saints 17-yd. line. On the ensuing play, K Phil Dawson nailed a 35-yd. FG to give the 49ers the win.
- This marked the 49ers first overtime victory since 11/14/10 vs. StL (won 23-20).
- Brooks now has 4.0 sacks on the season, 39.0 for his career. It also marked his first FF of the season and 11th of his career.
- For Borland, it marked his first career FR.
Forcing Overtime
- Trailing 21-24 with 1:34 left in regulation and the 49ers facing a 4th-and-10 from their own 22-yd. line, QB Colin Kaepernick connected with WR Michael Crabtree on a 51-yd. reception to the Saints 27-yd. line. That play set up the game-tying, 45-yd. FG by K Phil Dawson.
- It marked the first time the 49ers tied the game in the final two minutes of regulation since 11/11/12 vs. StL.
- The 51-yd. recept. by Crabtree marked his longest reception of the season.
Take It Away
- S Antoine Bethea picked off Saints QB Drew Brees on the opening drive of the game. The takeaway led to a 4-yd. TD run by RBFrank Gore. Bethea now has 3 INTs on the season and 17 for his career.
- Along with Bethea's INT last week vs. StL, this marks the 3rd time in his career that he registered an INT in consecutive games and the first time since 2009. [at Car. (10/28/07) & vs. NE (11/4/07); at Mia. (9/21/09) & at Arz. (9/27/09)].
- CB Chris Culliver notched his first INT of the season, and 4th of his career, picking off Brees just before halftime.
First Career Sack
- DT Quinton Dial registered his first career sack, bringing down Saints QB Drew Brees in overtime.
Elite Company
- WR Anquan Boldin recorded 6 recepts. for 95 rec. yards and 1 TD. He now has 635 rec. yards this season, becoming one of 12 players in NFL history to register 12 seasons with 600-or-more rec. yards He is also one of only five players in NFL history to reach the mark in 12 straight seasons, and one of only two players to do it in each of his first 12 seasons, joining WR Jerry Rice.
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600+ Rec. Yards In Each Of First 12 Seasons, NFL History |
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|
Player |
Consecutive Seasons |
Years |
|
Jerry Rice |
12 |
1985-1996 |
|
Anquan Boldin |
12 |
2003-2014 |
Kap Finds Boldin For Six
- QB Colin Kaepernick hooked up with WR Anquan Boldin on a 15-yd. TD pass. This marked Kaepernick's 13th TD pass of the season and 44th of his career. Boldin now 3 TDs this season and 68 in his career.
Extending The Streak
- QB Colin Kaepernick completed 14 of 32 pass atts. for 210 yards and 1 TD. He has now thrown at least one TD pass in 16 straight games, the 2nd longest streak by a quarterback in franchise history. [Steve Young - 18: (10/9/94 - 11/26/95)].
Ground & Pound
- The 49ers rushed for 144 yards and 2 TDs on 32 carries (4.5 avg.)
- RB Frank Gore had 23 carries for 81 yards and 1 TD, marking his 2nd rushing TD of the season and 62nd of his career.
- The 49ers improved to 38-7-1 when Gore has 20-or-more carries in a single game.
- RB Carlos Hyde added 4 carries for 36 yards (9.0 avg.) and 1 TD.
There Will Be Gore
- RB Frank Gore registered 23 carries for 81 yards in the first half and moved past RB Eddie George and RB Tiki Barber for the 24th most rushing yards in NFL history.
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Most Career Rushing Yards, NFL History |
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|
|
Player |
Yards |
|
22. |
Jamal Lewis |
10,607 |
|
23. |
Thomas Jones |
10,591 |
|
24. |
Frank Gore |
10,520 |
|
25. |
Tiki Barber |
10,449 |
|
26. |
Eddie George |
10,441 |