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SF 49ers spark comeback to beat Kansas City Chiefs
20San Francisco 49ers’ Frank Gore (21) center runs by Kansas City Chiefs defenders in the first quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014. (Dan Honda/Bay Area News Group)
2014.10.05 – Brandon Lloyd made it happen when he haul a 29-yard reception in the fourth-quarter to spark a go-ahead comeback scoring drive to an eventual 22-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Of course, the 49ers’ second straight win might not have happened if Craig Dahl didn’t execute a fake punt three snaps earlier. Or if Phil Dawson didn’t go 5 for 5 on field-goal attempts. Or if Alex Smith’s last-ditch rally against his former team didn’t end in a Perrish Cox interception.
Lloyd served as the necessary bridge to the go-ahead drive’s heroics from Dahl and Dawson. When Kaepernick heaved a third-and-10 pass toward Lloyd and cornerback Sean Smith near the left sideline, the 49ers trailed 17-16. Lloyd’s catch vaulted the 49ers into Chiefs territory (at the 39-yard line) and got the heat-weary crowd on its collective feet.
“Oh my goodness, it was awesome. It was like the best catch I’ve ever seen,” left tackle Joe Staley said. “It seemed like he was up there for four seconds. It was unbelievable. He kept on going up in the air.”
Such play-making acrobatics from Lloyd are why the 49ers summoned him out of a one-year hiatus and back to the NFL for an 11th season. On a day where tight end Vernon Davis sat out with a bad back and Michael Crabtree caught only one pass, Lloyd provided a downfield threat and made three receptions for a team-high 76 yards.
Kaepernick said of Lloyd’s 29-yard grab: “He had said he thought (Smith) was hurt, thought we’d take a shot and give him a chance to make an amazing play.”
“That was just more of an in-the-game, instinctual kind of play as opposed to something that we’ve practiced,” Lloyd said. “I always like to think of those lobs, whether they’re in the red zone or in the field, as football’s version of the alley-oop.”
2014.10.05 – (SF 49ers vs Kansas City Chiefs) (NFL- Full Game Video)
San Francisco 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick (7) ready to pass in front of a Kansas City Chiefs defenders in the first quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014. (Dan Honda/Bay Area News Group)
2014.10.05 – (SF 49ers vs Kansas City Chiefs) (NFL- Full Game Video)
That’s not a bad way to think of the NFC West. It’s a tossup. The 49ers (3-2) temporarily moved into a second-place tie with the Seattle Seahawks, who take a 2-1 record into Monday night’s game at Washington. Only a half-game ahead of the 49ers are the previously unbeaten Arizona Cardinals, losers Sunday at Denver.
“Really strong performance by our guys,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Pretty much penalty free (officially, only two penalties for 10 yards), no turnovers. Really good football.”
Great football wouldn’t have necessitated Dawson’s precision kicking. But the 49ers offense used his field goals to cap off five of their first eight drives, and he made good from 31, 55, 52, 27 and 30 yards.
Dawson was 4 for 4 on field-goal attempts last Sunday in a 26-21, comeback win over Philadelphia, and he’s 11 for 11 inside the 49ers’ new home that initially spooked him with baffling winds and poor field conditions.
“Today was a day I was out there a lot and kind of in the flow of the game. Those are the fun games,” Dawson said. “Sometimes, you spend the whole game on the sideline and late in the fourth quarter you have to go and make a big kick. Those days are a little tougher.”
The field-goal flurry didn’t bother Kaepernick much, as he noted: “We always want to finish with seven points, but when Phil comes on, we’re confident we have three.”
The payoff to Dahl’s fake punt, on which he ran for 3 yards on fourth-and-1, and Lloyd’s aerial show was a 27-yard field goal by Dawson that gave the 49ers a 19-17 lead with 8:42 remaining. The 49ers defense forced a quick three-and-out by Smith & Co., then a time-chewing drive led to Dawson’s fifth field goal, from 30 yards, with 2:12 remaining.
Smith (17 of 31, 175 yards) threw touchdown passes on the Chiefs’ first possessions of each half: a 2-yarder to tight end Travis Kelce for a 7-0 lead and a 17-yard screen to De’Anthony Thomas for a 17-13 lead.
Although the Chiefs converted 6 of 8 third-down situations before halftime, they were 0 for 3 afterward as the 49ers defense made adjustments.
The 49ers offense scored on all three of its first-half possessions, with two field goals preceding Kaepernick’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Stevie Johnson for a 13-10 lead 31 seconds before halftime. Complementing Kaepernick’s often-timely completions were a bountiful running attack led by Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde.
Gore’s 107 yards marked the first time since 2011 in which he posted back-to-back 100-yard games. He had four runs of at least 12 yards Sunday. Hyde, his rookie understudy, had 43 yards and fared well as a blocking back, including on Kaepernick’s 29-yard hookup with Lloyd.
“I feel each game I’m getting better,” Hyde said, “and that’s a good thing for me.”
The same statement appears to be holding true for the 49ers, at least after back-to-back wins.
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Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the San Francisco 49ers, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
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Mostert’s Epic Dash to Super Bowl!