Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sports

TBO > Sports

Arizona Grinds Out Win Over San Fran

The Associated Press

Published: September 8, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO - Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals took all the unpredictable fun out of an NFC West rivalry known for some of football's wackiest endings.

Warner passed for 197 yards and led three monotonously effective drives in the second half of the Cardinals' 23-13 victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Anquan Boldin had all of his eight catches for 82 yards in the second half of the Cardinals' third straight opener against the 49ers, who beat them twice last year to ruin their playoff hopes. Arizona allowed none of the late-game hijinks that cost the Cards both meetings with San Francisco last year, grinding out 12 first downs while holding onto the ball for nearly 23 minutes in the second half.

J.T. O'Sullivan passed for 195 yards in his first NFL start for the 49ers, whose long-woeful offense looked downright competent under new coordinator Mike Martz - if it could only get its hands on the ball. Frank Gore rushed for 96 yards and San Francisco's only touchdown on an early 41-yard scamper, but the Niners' offense barely got on the field in the second half.

Neil Rackers' third field goal, from 30 yards with 1:57 left, capped an 18-play drive that covered 62 yards in 10:08, draining the life out of Candlestick Park.

Arizona	3	7	10	3	-	23
San Francisco	7	3	0	3	-	13

First Quarter

Ari-FG Rackers 25, 11:06.

SF-Gore 41 run (Nedney kick), 6:00.

Second Quarter

Ari-Fitzgerald 1 pass from Warner (Rackers kick), 10:25.

SF-FG Nedney 39, 1:52.

Third Quarter

Ari-FG Rackers 31, 8:25.

Ari-Hightower 2 run (Rackers kick), 4:03.

Fourth Quarter

SF-FG Nedney 30, 12:05.

Ari-FG Rackers 30, 1:57.

A-67,186

	Ari	SF
First downs	18	13
Total Net Yards	285	291
Rushes-yards	39-109	20-108
Passing	176	183
Punt Returns	1-17	0-0
Kickoff Returns	3-39	4-64
Interceptions Ret.	1-28	0-0
Comp-Att-Int	19-30-0	14-20-1
Sacked-Yards Lost	3-21	4-12
Punts	4-45.0	2-43.5
Fumbles-Lost	0-0	5-4
Penalties-Yards	4-40	3-20
Time of Possession	37:05	22:55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Arizona, James 26-100, Hightower 8-13, Warner 5-(minus 4). San Francisco, Gore 14-96, Foster 4-11, O'Sullivan 2-1.

PASSING-Arizona, Warner 19-30-0-197. San Francisco, O'Sullivan 14-20-1-195.

RECEIVING-Arizona, Boldin 8-82, Breaston 3-54, Fitzgerald 3-31, Hightower 3-21, Pope 1-5, Castille 1-4. San Francisco, Gore 4-55, Davis 3-51, Johnson 3-48, Keasey 2-13, Battle 1-16, Foster 1-12.

MISSED FIELD GOALS-Arizona, Rackers 35 (WR).

Share this: