Blogs

Week 12 Game Notes

The 49ers moved their record to 8-2-1 with a 31-21 victory on the road at New Orleans. 49ers Public Relations presents the following game notes from the Week 12 matchup.

With a Win…

• The 49ers improved to 47-24-2 overall and 24-13 on the road against theNew Orleans Saints.
• San Francisco improved to 10-3 on the road under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
• In the month of November under Harbaugh, the 49ers improved to 5-1-1.
• The Niners improved to 16-4-1 vs. NFC opponents under Harbaugh.
• San Francisco improved its regular season record under Harbaugh to 21-5-1.
• The 49ers have won 8 of their first 11 games for the 2nd consecutive season (9-2 in 2011), the first time the team has accomplished that feat in back-to-back years since 1997-98.

That’s Kap-Tastic:

• QB Colin Kaepernick completed 16 of 25 pass attempts for 231 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT and a QB rating of 90.6, while also adding 6 carries for 27 yds. and 1 TD on  the ground.
• Kaepernick is the first 49er to register a rushing TD and a passing TD in the same game since QB Alex Smith (32-21-219-0-1 TD passing; 5-4-1 TD rushing) at StL (1/1/12).
• Kaepernick notched his 4^th rushing TD of the season on a 7-yd. TD run in the 1^st qtr. His 4 rushing TDs are the most by a 49ers QB since Jeff Garcia tallied 7 rushing TDs in 2003.
• Connected with RB Frank Gore on a 6-yd. TD pass in the 3^rd qtr., marking his 3^rd TD pass of the season.

Gore Notches His 10th:

• RB Frank Gore notched his 10^th career TD recept., and first of the season, on a 6-yd. pass from QB Colin Kaepernick in the 3^rd qtr.

The Dynamic Duo:

• Since 2011, the 49ers are now 20-1-1 when RB Frank Gore and RB Kendall Hunter combine for 20 carries or more.
• Gore led the way with 83 yds. rushing on 19 carries, while Hunter added 28 yds. on 4 carries.

Staying Clean:

• The 49ers offensive line did not allow a sack on 25 pass attempts by QB Colin Kaepernick. The last time the 49ers did not allow a sack was 10/7/12 vs. Buf. (25 attempts).

Miller Hauls In Career High:

• FB Bruce Miller tallied a season-high 3 recepts. for a career-high 37 yds.

Defense Scores Twice:

• The 49ers defense returned 2 INTs for TDs on the day, marking the first time since 10/22/95 vs. StL (LB Ken Norton Jr. – 21-yd. and 35-yd. INT returns).
• LB Ahmad Brooks picked off Saints QB Drew Brees just before halftime, and returned it 50 yds. for his first career TD. It marked Brooks’ 1^st INT of the season and 2^nd of his career.
• S Donte Whitner recorded his 1^st INT of the season and 8^th of his career, returning it 42-yds. for a TD. It marked Whitner’s 2^nd career TD and 1^st since 9/20/09 vs. TB (as a member of the Buffalo Bills).

Bringing the Pressure to Brees:

• The 49ers defense tallied 5.0 sacks on Saints QB Drew Brees, the most against the Saints since 10/30/11 at StL (6.0 sacks).
• LB Aldon Smith recorded 1.5 sacks on the day, giving him 16.5 for the season which ranks 1^st .
• DT Justin Smith registered a season-high 1.5 sacks. Smith now has 74.5 sacks in his career.
• LB Ahmad Brooks added 1.5 sacks. He now has 5.5 sacks on the season and 25.5 in his career.
• LB Patrick Willis also notched 0.5 sackwas , marking his first sack of the season and 17.5 of his career.

Aldon Closes In On History:

• LB Aldon Smith recorded 1.5 sacks on Saints QB Drew Brees. Smith ranks 1^st in the NFL with 16.5 sacks.
• Smith now has 30.5 career sacks in just 27 games, marking the fastest player to record 30.0 sacks in NFL history. The previous mark held by DE Reggie White (28 games).
• With 30.5 career sacks, Smith now ranks 2^nd in NFL history for the most sacks in their first two seasons, trailing only DE Reggie White (31.0).

Akers Extends FG Streak:

• With 1 FG at NO, K David Akers has now made at least 1 FG in all 27 games as a 49er, extending the franchise record for consecutive games with a made FG.

Extending Their Streaks:

• TE/LS Brian Jennings has now played in 203 consecutive games.
• DT Justin Smith has now started 182 consecutive games, dating back to his rookie season in 2001. Smith’s consecutive start streak ranks 3^rd among all NFL players, behind Ronde Barber (210) and London Fletcher (190)
• TE Vernon Davis has now started 86 consecutive games, which ranks 3^rd in the NFL among TEs behind Tony Gonzalez (97) and Jason Witten (94).
• C Jonathan Goodwin has now started 65 consecutive games, the 5^th most among centers.
• K David Akers has now played in 116 consecutive NFL games, the 3^rd most in the NFL among kickers.
• P Andy Lee played has played in 139 consecutive NFL games, 3^rd most among NFL punters.