Four years ago this week, San Francisco locked horns with divisional rival the Arizona Cardinals to complete their regular season schedule. This of course, is also correct for the current 2014 season.
The connection between present day and 2010 go further too, as the earlier game was the first (and only) game that saw Jim Tomsula in charge of the 49ers, in the capacity of interim head coach. This year finds Tomsula on top of the shortlist to replace current coach Jim Harbaugh if/when he leaves at the end of the season.
So, what shape were the 2010 team in, how did they fare during the season, and how did Tomsula get on with being the 49er head honcho?
The 2009 San Francisco side finished the season with an 0.500 record, under the supervision of Mike Singletary who was in his first full season as a head coach. There was a lot of hope that the side could consolidate this position and post their first winning season since 2002. The team even retained the same offensive coordinator for the first time in years, which was expected to help quarterback Alex Smith who had seen a new offense in every season of his NFL career.
Sadly, the offensive coordinator in question was Jimmy Raye. The ageing playcaller was firmly rooted in outdated offensive schemes which were too simplistic and struggled to make an impact against modern-day defenses. His playbook was also heavily skewed towards running the ball, so with that in mind the 49ers picked up the services of free-agent veteran running back Brian Westbrook. It was hoped that Westbrook could compliment starting running back Frank Gore to become a potent one-two punch out of the backfield.
The team also tried to address the problematic return-game by trading a fifth round draft pick to acquire the services of WR/returner Tedd Ginn Jr, who had breakneck speed but had not justified his first-round pick status since being chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the 2007 draft.
The 2010 draft was a mixed result, with some major additions being chosen alongside some players who would end up being classed as failures. The offensive line was given a huge boost with monster tackle Anthony Davis and gigantuan guard Mike Iupati being added. The steal of the draft occurred in the third round however, when the 49ers were able to pick up linebacker Navorro Bowman from Penn State University. In between the first round linemen and the third round linebacker, was USC safety Taylor Mays who was picked in round two. Mays would be a total bust for San Francisco and ended up being traded to Cincinnati.
After a hopeful NFL draft and a solid 2009, the 49ers kept up the momentum in the preseason, winning all four of the games and headed into the regular season full of confidence.
Then reality hit, and it hit hard.
The 49ers lost their first five games of the season.
It was the first time the team had started 0-5 since 1979. After a week three loss to the Chiefs, OC Jimmy Raye was sent packing and was replaced by QB coach Mike Johnson. After the 0-5 start, the next ten games were shared equally between wins and losses, meaning the team went into the final week with a miserable 5-10 record. The final straw for Mike Singletary came in the week 16 loss to the St. Louis Rams and he was subsequently fired.
For the sole remaining game of 2010, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was chosen as interim head coach. A passionate and dedicated football man, Coach Tomsula was loved and respected not just by his linemen, but by the rest of the players and coaching staff, so he was a popular choice for the temporary role.
(Liz Hafalia, SF Chronicle)
In his sole game in charge, Tomsula and his 49ers team would round off the 2010 season with a home game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Going into this game, the Cardinals owned an identical 5-10 record to the 49ers, and had experienced an horrific seven-game losing streak during the middle of the season. However, in the week before facing their divisional rivals, the Cardinals had rallied back to beat the Dallas Cowboys in the dying moments of the fourth quarter, so were looking to use that win to propel them past San Francisco.
The game
The first two possessions for both sides were flaccid and resulted in punts. On the their third possession since receiving the ball to start the game, Arizona started on their own twenty yard line. The first play resulted in a five yard penalty on Arizona for a false start, making it 1st and 15. On the next play, Rookie Cardinals quarterback John Skelton dropped back and looked for a deep pass, only to be met by Justin Smith at full speed. The 49er defensive end levelled Skelton for a nine-yard loss and a sack. This pushed Arizona onto the back foot, facing a 2nd and 24 from their own six. After a short gain on the ground and an incomplete pass, the Cardinals punted the ball once again.
A poor Arizona punt meant that the home side took over on the Cardinals thirty-seven yard line. Wasting no time, the 49ers dialled up a deep pass attempt and Alex Smith was able to find newly-signed speedster Ted Ginn Jr for a touchdown on the first play of the drive. The 49ers were up 7-0.
With his third sack of the first quarter occurring on the first play of the next drive, it was clear that John Skelton would be having a bad day at the office. His next pass was stopped for a loss and a third-down effort fell incomplete and the Cardinals were again lining up to punt the ball away.
Undeterred by a first-down sack, Alex Smith found multiple receivers on the next 49er drive, moving his team into the opposing half. The 49er running game was continuing to struggle without star player Frank Gore, who had fractured his hip in a week 12 encounter against the Cardinals and was out for the season. Arizona were able to halt the drive before the endzone but 49ers kicker Jeff Reed made the thirty-nine yard field goal to give his side a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
After another Cardinals punt the 49ers were again in possession of the ball, however a precise kick by Arizona punter Ben Graham had pinned the home side back on their own six yard line. Sensing an opportunity, the visitors asserted themselves and held San Francisco to less than ten yards, forcing them to punt as well. In an odd repeat of the short punt by Arizona earlier in the game, this time the 49ers were only able to propel the ball to their own thirty-seven yard line and John Skelton with the rest of the Arizona offense came trotting onto the field. They picked up a quick-fire 17 yards on a couple of effective rushes and an eight yard completion by Skelton, leaving them just twenty yards from paydirt.
Trying to stem the Arizona flow, Justin Smith bullrushed past his blocker on 2nd down and sacked the quarterback. The force of the impact jarred the ball loose and a chance to foil the attack was presented. Sadly the ball bobbled out of bounds and so the Cardinals retained possession.
Larry Fitzgerald then caught his second pass of the game, moving his side ten yards closer to the endzone. On the next play he caught his third and scored the first points of the game for Arizona. After the extra point it was now 10-7 in the 49ers favour, with over seven minutes left in the half.
The next drives for both sides came up empty and so the 49ers went into halftime with a slender lead over their rivals.
San Francisco received the ball to start off the second half, with Ted Ginn Jr picking up twenty-four yards on the return.
Brian Westbrook picked up fourteen yards on a 3rd and 8 catch, taking the team to their own 41 yard line. The first down play was again an intended pass to Westbrook, but it fell incomplete to make it 2nd and 10. Then, with Alex Smith dropping back after the snap, tight end Vernon Davis ran a blistering ‘go’ route, easily outrunning his defender and hauled in Smiths pass, taking it all the way for a 59 yard touchdown. Reeds extra point was good and the 49ers were now 17-7 to the good.
Hoping to retaliate straight away, Arizona found more frustration within their drive as Skelton continued to struggle with passing plays. After more incompletions, the ball was punted away again.
With two fouls on the Cardinals defense to start off the drive, the 49ers now began from their own 32 yard line. Anthony Dixon picked up 8 rushing yards straight away, followed by a huge 30 yard rush by his teammate Brian Westbrook. The Cardinals were on the ropes and giving up yardage easily for the first time in the game. Following another Dixon rumble and a 20 yard completion to Vernon Davis, the 49ers were just 6 yards away from scoring. Barely 4 minutes since Davis lit up the scoreboard with a 59 yard touchdown, Brian Westbrook now added another score by running in from 6 yards out. The extra point made it 24-7 and there was still a quarter and a half left to play.
(dalje.com)
Things went from bad to worse for Arizona, when on their next possession John Skelton was intercepted by linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who returned it 32 yards before being tackled just 8 yards shy from scoring. Two plays later Westbrook scored again from the ground and the 49ers now led 31-7.
After enduring such a torrid time behind center, John Skelton was benched in favour of 2nd-string quarterback Richard Bartel. The visiting side were then finally able to string together a few plays and by the time that the 3rd quarter was drawing to a close, the Cardinals were just a yard away from the 49er endzone on 1st and goal. An incomplete pass to Larry Fitzgerald was followed by a loss of 2 yards on a rushing attempt by running back tim Hightower, which made it 3rd and 3. A quick pass attempt was thwarted which set up a 4th down for Arizona. With nothing to lose and the fourth quarter now underway, the visitors went for it. On 4th and 3, Bartel lobbed a quick pass up to Larry Fitzgerald, but the elite receiver was tightly covered by Tarrell Brown, meaning the Cardinals had failed to capitalise on the opportunity to score. The 49ers took over from their own 3.
The latest 49er drive ended in a punt, as did the next possession for each team, so with a little over 7 minutes left in the game and the season, the Cardinals had the ball on their own 7 yard line.
With little point in rushing, the Cardinals sent out 3 and sometimes 4 receiver formations, trying desperately to restore at least some pride in their team before the season was over. Finding more success than they had seen all game against a resurgent 49er defense, Bartel and his colleagues were able to chip away the yards and move the ball down to the San Francisco 43 yard line, but not before Justin Smith had collected his third sack of the game.
Throwing a short pass to receiver Andre Roberts, Bartel instead found the arms of opposing cornerback Tarell Brown. Showcasing his speed, Brown raced away down the sideline and crossed the goal line emphatically for a 62 yard touchdown, sealing the final nail into the Cardinals 2010 coffin. Reed was automatic with the extra point and the score was now 38-7 to the hosts.
More desperate passing attempts were made in the final four minutes by the Cardinals, who were again able to get within a few yards of the endzone. But with under a minute left, Ahmad Brooks sacked the Cardinals quarterback, which was the sixth time an Arizona quarterback had been sacked in the game. That loss made it 4th and goal from the 11 yard line, where another failed pass to Larry Fitzgerald gave the ball back to San Francisco. Alex Smith kneeled to end the game in a decisive 38-7 victory over the Cardinals, as well as an impressive and well earned debut win for interim head coach Jim Tomsula.
Every facet of the 49ers team had been instrumental in the victory. Alex Smith had thrown for 279 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Brian Westbrook had a brace of scores as well as 79 rushing yards, the defense had demolished the Cardinals with 6 sacks, 2 interceptions including one returned for a touchdown, and the special teams units had outperformed their opponents too.
It was a complete victory on all accounts, as the 49ers were able to put their divisional rivals to the sword, causing the Cardinals to finish the season in last place of the NFC West, with the 49ers one place ahead of them in third.
The 49ers ownership pulled off somewhat of a coup during the offseason, signing highly acclaimed college head coach Jim Harbaugh to a 5 year, $25million contract to become the new head coach. This was despite the fact that Harbaugh was also offered more rewarding contracts to coach elsewhere in the NFL and in the college game. Of course, we all know how the rest of the Harbaugh era has panned out…
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for taking the time to read my articles every week this season. I do hope that you have enjoyed them.
I’d also like to thank Nicholas McGee for heading up the 49er Faithful UK blogsite, and of course Mike Palmer for doing such an astounding job of creating and maintaining this wonderful group!
Happy New Year!
Photograph references
Jim Tomsula, Liz Hafalia: San Francisco Chronicle, viewed 24 December 2014 <http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/07/53/07/2011599/9/920x920.jpg >
Tomsula greets Westbrook, dalje.com, viewed 24 December 2014 <http://dalje.com/slike/slike_3/r1/g2011/m01/ox281254837411419783.jpg >
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