SF 49ers Cruise Past Dallas Cowboys
Tens of thousands San Francisco fans celebrated inside AT&T Stadium.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) middle celebrates a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
2014.09.07 – Sunday’s season-opening victory was on from the very first minute, and as the 49ers wrapped up their 28-17 win, tens of thousands of fans in red jerseys celebrated inside the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.
Jim Harbaugh relished the scene as he became the only coach in 49ers history to win his first four openers.
“Throughout the game there was much cheering from 49ers fans,” Harbaugh said. “Much appreciated. Means a lot.”
The 49ers opened with their highest-scoring first quarter since 1995. They needed less than 11 minutes to seize a 21-3 lead, thrilling the throng of 49ers fans among the 91,174 who came for the team’s first official game at the 6-year-old stadium.
2014.09.07 – (SF 49ers @Dallas Cowboys) (NFL- Full Game Video)
Tens of thousands San Francisco 49ers fans watch quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) throw a pass for a TD in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
2014.09.07 – (SF 49ers @Dallas Cowboys) (NFL- Full Game Video)
2014.09.07 – (SF 49ers @Dallas Cowboys) (NFL- Full Game Video)
The ideal start followed a troubling off-season that included contract disputes, player injuries and run-ins with police, the latest being Ray McDonald’s arrest a week ago on suspicion of domestic violence. McDonald started the game and contributed three tackles to the defense’s dominance.
“Everyone was ready to get to the season, ready to play, and ready to start trying to put these wins together,” said quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who wore sunglasses to his postgame, indoor news conference.
Kaepernick completed 11 of 13 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns as the 49ers took a 28-3 halftime lead. He finished 16 of 23 for 201 yards, and he lost a 32-yard completion to Vernon Davis when that third-down conversion was nullified by a Brandon Lloyd pass-interference penalty.
Kaepernick’s counterpart, Tony Romo, doomed the Cowboys from the start when three of his passes were intercepted before halftime.
“Three plays can change the entire game, and that’s what happened tonight,” said Romo (23 of 37, 281 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions).
The turnover binge started with Chris Culliver’s 35-yard fumble return for an opening-minute touchdown. Dan Skuta, starting in place of the suspended Aldon Smith, stripped the ball from DeMarco Murray to set up Culliver’s first career touchdown.
An Eric Reid interception was sandwiched between Kaepernick’s two touchdown passes to Davis, staking the 49ers to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter after only four offensive snaps.
Patrick Willis and Perrish Cox continued the defense’s masterful start by coming up with second-quarter interceptions.
“Turnovers clean up a lot of messes, and we weren’t playing great in the first half,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “But turnovers were our Ajax detergent, cleaning up the messes.”
Willis made his interception in the end zone, thwarting a Cowboys drive that could have cut the 49ers’ lead to 21-10.
“I saw Romo looking that direction, and I don’t know if he saw me or not and I don’t really care,” Willis said. “It was one of those things you couldn’t believe he actually threw it.”
It was the eighth career interception for Willis, who added: “My eyes got real big, and then the ball got real small for a second, so I was just trying to hold on.”
The 49ers defense did give up two touchdowns after halftime, but by the time a Romo scoring strike pulled Dallas within 11 points, only 1:52 remained and he wouldn’t be able to repeat his 2011 comeback heroics against the 49ers.
Fangio thought his unit actually played better in the second half, and he questioned an illegal-contact call on Jimmie Ward that kept alive the Cowboys’ first touchdown drive.
The 49ers finally got to turn to their victory formation (Kaepernick kneel-downs) once Frank Gore converted on a third-and -3 run, doing so on a 5-yard carry behind Mike Iupati’s power block. It also capped Gore’s milestone day: his 63 yards put him at 10,030 for his career.
Gore shared the backfield limelight with rookie Carlos Hyde, who capped the first-half scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run, 39 seconds before halftime.
Not to be overlooked was wide-out Anquan Boldin’s team-high eight receptions for 99 yards.
Said Boldin: “It felt really good to get back to what we love to do, and just play the game of football.”
The flock of 49ers fans at the game surely agreed.
“I didn’t have my eye on the crowd,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “I had my eye on those turnovers.”
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Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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