Golden Nuggets: The Blaine Gabbert Reclamation Project

Since Fooch is calling the Tomsula era Singletary Part 2, then I'm going to get in line and start calling Blaine Gabbert "Alex Smith 2.0". Just like Smith, Gabbert was a high first round pick who played poorly for bad teams early on. Yet both have seen a resurrection of sorts in mid-career. Both prefer throwing to their TEs and RBs and have shown nimble enough wheels to avoid pressure. Thanks to Blaine, Vance McDonald is suddenly a receiving threat and even Shaun Draughn is getting some key receptions.

Unlike Alex though, Blaine is a little better at spotting open men downfield resulting in more big plays. Also, Blaine has not had the benefit of a QB whisperer like Jim Harbaugh to coach him up and gave him the confidence and second chance he needed. It seems like Gabbert has worked hard on his own to learn what it takes to be an NFL QB (no thanks to Jim Tomsula, Geep Chryst, or Steve Logan).

Instead, Gabbert was the timely recipient of Colin Kaepernick self-destructing with a front office determined to throw him under the bus. It's not an ideal situation, but like any understudy, you take whatever opportunity you can get to step in the limelight. Three games is not a lot of time, but it has given us enough of a glimpse that this version of Gabbert is more experienced and more efficient. No, I'm not anointing Blaine the Niners QB of the future, but he has definitely earned a shot at the starter job when the next season rolls around.

Project Lazarus

49ers' Gabbert laments taking two crucial sacks vs Cardinals (Maiocco)

Blaine Gabbert Throws for Career-high 318 Yards in Loss to Arizona Cardinals (Price)

Gabbert looks good but rues third-down decisions (Barrows)

Gabbert staying in conversation to be 49ers' QB of the future (Purdy)

Blaine Gabbert Reviving Career Behind Solid Play for 49ers (B/R)

Game Recaps

Frustrating fourth quarter goes according to plan for 49ers (BASG)

49ers come up short in battle with Cardinals (Maiocco)

Cardinals 19, 49ers 13 (Inman)

Palmer's 8-yard TD run leads first-place Cards past 49ers (Yahoo/AP)

Roughing call helps Cardinals drive for late victory (PFT)

Post-game Analysis

What We Learned from 49ers vs. Cardinals (Price)

TE McDonald stays hot; Gabbert career-high 318 yards; Purcell tallies 49ers' only sack (Inman)

49ers irate over season-high penalties in 19-13 loss to Cardinals (Inman)

49ers are stuck in Mike Singletary mode (Kawakami)

49ers' defense finally breaks in loss to Cardinals (Gutierrez)

San Francisco 49ers Players Comment on Penalties in Loss to Arizona Cardinals (G.Cohn)

San Francisco 49ers C Alex Boone criticizes referees after loss (SI)

San Francisco Grades, Notes and Quotes (B/R)

West-leading Cards squeak out win over pesky 49ers (NFL)

Spotlights

Alex Boone leads 49ers chorus in blasting officials, so does Cardinals coach (Inman)

Vance McDonald up, Tramaine Brock down in 49ers' loss (Gutierrez)

Jim Tomsula Discusses Key Moments in 49ers-Cardinals Game (Emerick)

NaVorro Bowman Sees Progress in 49ers Defense (49ers)

49ers TE Celek out indefinitely with high-ankle sprain (Maiocco)

Pressure mounts on San Francisco 49ers to recall Jarryd Hayne as slump continues (Sydney Morning Herald)

---

Follow @joelvreyes