Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers: Live Score, Highlights and Analysis
By on December 30, 2012
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San Francisco 49ers 27, Arizona Cardinals 13
49ers receiver Michael Crabtree set a career high with 172 yards on eight receptions. He caught two touchdowns from Colin Kaepernick, who completed 16-of-28 for a career-high 276 yards and the two Crabtree scores.
San Francisco (11-4-1) locked up the NFC West title with the victory, winning the crown for a second consecutive season.
The Cardinals (5-11) drop their 11th game out of 12 since beginning the season 4-0. What might have been will never be known, and now the organization has many questions to answer in the coming months. It will be a tough offseason, no doubt.
Rookie receiver Michael Floyd was Brian Hoyer's favorite target all day, as he caught eight passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. The receptions and yards totals are both career-highs.
The game is over. The 49ers beat the Cardinals, 27-13.
San Francisco is the NFC West champion for the second straight season.
Touchdown!
Alas, we have seen a touchdown pass from a Cardinals quarterback. It comes on 4th-and-24 and goes for 37 yards to Floyd. He is having just as good a day as Crabtree suddenly.
Floyd has eight receptions for 166 yards and the score.
The first screen pass of the game for Arizona is a loss of three four yards.
It was run on a 3rd-and-20 play. For Cardinals fans, this kind of play-calling is nothing new.
Welcome to Michael Floyd's coming out party.
He now has seven receptions for 129 yards. It's his first 100-yard receiving game.
Smith goes three-and-out. Andre Roberts drops back to receive the punt.
Patrick Peterson has a "hamstring injury" and won't return.
Alex Smith is in the game for the 49ers, but not because of performance.
Cards center Adam Snyder was injured after Hoyer's interception. He was cut down by Aldon Smith, who received a personal foul penalty because of the block.
Akers now on for a 26-yard attempt after the drive stalls again. It's good. 49ers up, 27-6.
More fourth-down attempts for San Francisco up by three scores. Harbaugh is Carroll-ing the Cardinals.
Good sport, James.
Touchdown!
Frank Gore notches his 51st career rushing touchdown, now second-most in franchise history. Don't know why everyone keeps insisting he just broke the record. The record is 68, held by Joe Perry since 1963.
Akers remains on the sideline despite being within his range for a field goal. Harbaugh elects to punt, instead.
Oh. Now, the offense is on the field. Going for it. And getting it. Crabtree again.
Now with seven receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Finally looking like the first-round playmaker he was drafted to be. Funny that he only does this against Arizona.
We are seeing missed tackles again for the Cardinals. They struggle to tackle against the better teams in the league. That doesn't make sense, but it is certainly a problem.
Touchdown!
Crabtree is at it again. He runs a simple route to the flat, and Patrick Peterson attempts to jump in front of the pass to knock it away. The pass is just out of reach, and the lead is extended to 11. Now 17-6, 49ers.
In order to slow down the 49ers offense, Ray Horton and his defense will have to start bringing pressure. Three- and four-man rushes have been wildly unsuccessful. No pressure and much time for Kaepernick to go through progression.
Some draft news for your Week 17 afternoon:
With a loss, the Cardinals will have the seventh pick next April. If they come back to win, they would move back to No. 8.
Hoyer is sacked for the first time of the game. Ricky Jean Francois gets him after beating D'Anthony Batiste.
Then, Hoyer goes down again, as Ahmad Brooks beats rookie guard Senio Kelemete.
And the drive is over after a run up the middle by Powell goes nowhere after Patrick Willis stops him for no gain.
After giving up yards through the air again, the Cards defense holds when backed up.
On comes Akers. In an M. Night Shyamalan-like turn of events, the veteran kicker connects on his field goal try.
He's 1-of-3 today.
Crabtree continues to abuse the zone coverage of Arizona.
The Cardinals probably have to stick Peterson on him in man coverage solely.
Funny stuff from Somers as we begin the second half.
Pat McQuistan (ankle) won't return. Kelemete will continue to block and occasionally catch passes from RG spot for #azcardinals
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) December 30, 2012
Halftime Stats Leaders
Brian Hoyer: 8-of-18, 103 yards
Colin Kaepernick: 7-of-13, 146, one TD
William Powell: 12 carries, 50 yards
Frank Gore: Nine carries, 20 yards
Michael Floyd: Three receptions, 56 yards
Michael Crabtree: Four receptions, 116 yards, one TD
It's halftime. 49ers lead the Cardinals, 7-6.
Cardinals go deep with 24 ticks of the first half remaining. Nearly complete to Floyd. We would not have seen that a month ago.
Could be the last game of Ken Whisenhunt's Cards head-coaching career. He figures he'll be less conservative now. Interesting.
Great pass breakup by Patrick Peterson in the end zone while covering Randy Moss. A better throw could have resulted in a touchdown, but it was a good play nonetheless.
Akers then misses another field goal. Jim Harbaugh's face is redder than normal right now.
A big false start on Mike Iupati pushes the 49ers back after they had a 3rd-and-2 deep in Cardinals territory.
These kinds of plays are easy when holding on Staley is not called.
#49ers QB @kaepernick7 avoids sack, rolls left & throws right-handed laser for 23-yard gain to TE @dwalk46. #kaepernicking
— Taylor Price (@TaylorPrice49) December 30, 2012
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Arizona Cardinals: Like this team?
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