Turnovers and Warner, Fitzgerald and Boldin to much for the 49ers.
Frank Gore carried 16 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns, but fumbled to set up an Arizona touchdown. Smith completed 23 of 40 passes for 288 yards and one score.
The game was tied at 7 when Gore fumbled, then Arizona’s Gerald Hayes scooped up the ball and rambled 19 yards to the San Francisco 5. It took three tries, but James scored from the 1 for his first Cardinals touchdown.
After the ensuing kickoff, Davis fumbled and Darnell Dockett recovered at the 49ers 41. Warner’s 28-yard pass to Fitzgerald set up a 6-yard touchdown toss to Anquan Boldin and it was 21-7 with 59 seconds left in the first quarter – exciting a crowd that, for once, was fully supportive of the Cardinals.
A pair of unnecessary roughness penalties against Arizona aided a San Francisco scoring drive. Gore’s 4-yard touchdown run sliced the lead to 21-14. Rackers’ 36-yard field goal put Arizona up 24-14 at the half.
