49ers vs. Cardinals: A prospector's guide

Merry Christmas! Welcome to the final prospector's guide of the 2014 season. The 49ers face the Cardinals this Sunday in a Week 17 matchup that will either get the 49ers a .500 record for the season, or potentially a slight improvement in their draft stock. From a team perspective, there's not much more to be had.

There is a chance for some big individual achievements. Frank Gore is 38 yards from 1,000 for the season, and 71 from 11,000 for his career. This would mark Gore's 8th season with 1,000 or more rushing yards, which would make him only the 11th player in NFL history to have that many 1,000 yard seasons. Anquan Boldin is 19 yards from 1,000 for the season, which would mark the seventh such season of his career.

The 49ers managed to put together a fairly historic performance in Week 16, even as they lost. They rushed for a total of 355 yards, which was the highest in franchise history, and the biggest NFL total since 2007. Frank Gore and Colin Kaepernick each surpassed 150 yards rushing in the game, making them the fourth set of NFL teammates to do this in a single game, and the first set since 1976. And the 49ers still lost! Let's hope for something better this time around.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 46
Series Record: 49ers lead series 28-18
49ers Home Record vs. Cardinals: 49ers lead series 16-8
First Meeting: 11/18/51, Cardinals win 27-21, at SF*
Last Meeting: 9/21/14, Cardinals win 23-14, at Arz.
Current Streak: Lost 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 - 3 times (Last 9/13/09 - 11/20/11)
Longest Cardinals Win Streak: 4 - 2 times (Last 10/2/05 - 12/24/06)
Most 49ers Points: 56 (10/18/92): 49ers win 56-17, at SF
Most Cardinals Points: 34 - 2 times, (Last 9/10/06): Cardinals win 34-27, at Arz.
49ers Shutouts: None
Cardinals Shutouts: None
*Chicago Cardinals

S Antoine Bethea

• As a member of the Indianapolis Colts, recorded 1 INT and 1 FR at Arz. on 9/27/13. It marked the 8th INT and 2nd FR of his career.

WR Anquan Boldin

• Registered game highs in recepts. (9) and rec. yds. (149) with 1 TD in his first return to Arz. (12/29/13). He tallied 6 recepts. for 106 yds. and 1 TD in just the 1st qtr., marking the third time in his career that he notched 100-or-more yds. in a qtr. [134 at Det. (9/7/03 - 3rd qtr.); 117 vs. Arz. (10/30/11 - 3rd qtr.)].

LB 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, picking off Cardinals QB John Skelton and returning it 32 yds. to the Cardinals 8-yd. line, setting up a TD.

TE Vernon Davis

• In 16 career games vs. Arz., has 811 rec. yds. and 9 TDs on 54 re- cepts.

• Made NFL debut and first career start at Arz. (9/10/06), hauling in a 31-yd. TD recept. on his first NFL catch.

• Recorded 8 recepts. for a game-high 180 yds. and 2 TDs vs. Arz. (10/13/13), marking his 7th career game with 2-or-more rec. TDs.

K Phil Dawson

• Successfully converted all 3 FG atts. and all 5 XP atts. in a 44-6 win vs. Arz. (11/16/03), as a member of the Cleveland Browns.

• Made 3 of 4 FG atts. at Arz. (12/29/13), including the game-winning FG as time expired.

RB Frank Gore

• In 18 games against Arz., he has rushed for 1,187 yds. and 12 TDs on 277 carries, while adding 42 recepts. for 383 yds. and 1 TD.
• Named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after having one of his best outings at Arz. (11/25/07), rushing for 116 yds. and 2 TDs on 21 carries and recording 11 re- cepts. and 98 receiving yds. in a 37-31 OT win.
• In the regular season finale vs. Arz. (12/30/12), he notched his 51st career rushing TD, surpass- ing HOF RB Joe Perry (50) and RB Roger Craig (50) for the most rushing TDs in franchise history.
• Recorded 25 carries for 101 yds. vs. Arz. (10/13/13), marking his 34th career game with 100-or-more rushing yds.

QB 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 2012 season [133.1 vs. Chi. (11/19/12)].

LB Corey Lemonier

• Registered 3 tackles, 1.0 sack for a safety, and 1 FF vs. Arz. (10/13/13). The fumble was recovered by LB NaVorro Bowman and led to a 44-yd. FG by K Phil Dawson.

WR Brandon Lloyd

• Recorded 7 recepts. for 102 yds. at Arz. (10/2/05). It marked his sec- ond career game with 100+ rec. yds. after tallying 142 yds. vs. Dal. the week prior.

S Eric Reid

• Intercepted a pass by QB Carson Palmer and returned the pick 53 yds. to set up a 35-yd. FG by K Phil Dawson vs. Arz. (10/13/13). Also, recovered a fumble by WR Larry Fitzgerald, which led to a 6-yd. TD run by RB Kendall Hunter.

DT 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 Warner 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).

2014 Statistics