2011 San Francisco 49ers season

American football team season August 2023 March 2026 San Francisco 49ers 2011 13–3 1st NFC West Jim Harbaugh Greg Roman Vic Fangio Trent Baalke Jed York Candlestick Park Won Divisional Playoffs(vs. Saints) 36–32 Lost NFC Championship(vs. Giants) 17–20 (OT Overtime) 9 RB Frank Gore T Joe Staley DE Justin Smith ILB Patrick Willis CB Carlos Rogers FS Dashon Goldson P Andy Lee K David Akers LS Brian Jennings 6 DT Justin Smith (1st team) ILB Patrick Willis (1st team) ILB NaVorro Bowman (1st team) K David Akers (1st team) P Andy Lee (1st team) DE Justin Smith (2nd team) CB Carlos Rogers (2nd team) 49ers uniforms12.png 49ers seasons The 2011 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 62nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 66th overall, and their first under head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke. The 49ers rebounded from their disappointing 2010 season to end their streak of eight consecutive non-winning seasons. After defeating the St. Louis Rams in week 13 and attaining a 10–2 record, the team clinched the NFC West and made their first playoff appearance since 2002. The 49ers ended the regular season with a 13–3 record, their best since 1997, and earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs. In the Divisional Playoffs they defeated the New Orleans Saints 36–32 and were in the NFC Championship for the first time since 1997, where they lost to the rival and eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants in overtime by a score of 20–17, coming just short of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994. This season began with the team's third head coach in four seasons. One of the main catalysts for San Francisco's return to relevance in 2011 was the team's dominant defense—specifically against the run. The 49ers yielded the fewest rushing yards in the league (1,236), average yards per rush (3.5), and set an NFL record for fewest rushing touchdowns surrendered in a 16-game regular season (3).2011 San Francisco 49ers defense played to historical heights Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2012/01/news-2011-san-francisco-49ers-defense-played-to-historical-heights 2022-08-12 pfhof en2011 San Francisco 49ers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/2011.htm 2022-08-12 Pro-Football-Reference.com en The team did not allow a single 100 yard rusher nor a rushing touchdown through the first 14 weeks, and only three of their opponents gained over 100 total yards on the ground. In addition to their dominance against the run, San Francisco's defense finished second in points allowed (229, or 14.3/g), fourth in yards allowed (308.1/g) second in team interceptions (23), and third in Pro Football Outsiders Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) power rankings.2011 Team DVOA Ratings: Defense Football Outsiders https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/team-defense/2011/regular?check_logged_in=1 2022-08-12 www.footballoutsiders.com Despite their most successful season in years, the 49ers were 31st in the league in third down conversion percentage in the regular season (29.1) and were 17.9 percent in the playoffs and ranked 26th in total offense.Branch Eric Third-down disaster helped doom 49ers San Francisco Chronicle January 23, 2012 http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2012/01/23/third-down-disaster-helped-doom-49ers/ https://web.archive.org/web/20120124101234/http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2012/01/23/third-down-disaster-helped-doom-49ers/ January 24, 2012 live 3 Offseason Coaching changes Owner Jed York announced that he would hire a general manager and the new GM would make a decision on the new head coach to replace Mike Singletary after the 49ers' loss to the St. Louis Rams on December 26, 2010, that eliminated the team from the postseason.https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/York-says-new-GM-will-hire-next-49ers-coach-2452001.php York says new GM will hire next 49ers coach David White San Francisco Chronicle 2010-12-28 December 28, 2010 On January 5, the 49ers promoted the vice president of player personnel, Trent Baalke, to the position of general manager.https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5989634 49ers promote Trent Baalke to GM ESPN.com 2011-01-05 On January 7, the 49ers hired Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh to be the 18th head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. With the hiring of a new head coach, many of the assistant coaches were replaced. Of the coordinators and position coaches from the previous season, only running backs coach Tom Rathman, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, and offensive line coach Mike Solari were retained. The coaching staff featured Greg Roman as the new offensive coordinator and Vic Fangio as the new defensive coordinator, both previously assistant coaches under Harbaugh at Stanford. Former Cleveland Browns assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Brad Seely was hired for the same roles with the 49ers. Geep Chryst was the new quarterbacks coach, Reggie Davis was the new tight ends coach. John Morton was the new wide receivers coach, and Tim Drevno was a new offensive line coach to help out Mike Solari. Jim Leavitt was the new linebackers coach and Ed Donatell was the new secondary coach. The staff also featured defensive assistants Peter Hansen and Ejiro Evero, offensive assistant Bobby Engram, and special assistant to the head coach Bill Nayes. Roster changes Free agents Position Player Tag Free Agent Tag: UFA – Unrestricted Free Agent; RFA – Restricted Free Agent; ERFA – Exclusive-Rights Free Agent 2011 Team Notes and references C David Baas UFA New York Giants C Tony Wragge UFA St. Louis Rams G Chris Patrick ERFA Edmonton Eskimos T Barry Sims UFA Free Agent QB Alex Smith UFA San Francisco 49ers QB Troy Smith UFA Omaha Nighthawks RB Brian Westbrook UFA Free Agent DE Demetric Evans UFA Free Agent DE Ray McDonald UFA San Francisco 49ers LB Travis LaBoy UFA San Diego Chargers NT Aubrayo Franklin UFA New Orleans Saints LB Manny Lawson UFA Cincinnati Bengals LB Takeo Spikes UFA San Diego Chargers CB William James UFA S Dashon Goldson UFA San Francisco 49ers S C. J. Spillman ERFA San Francisco 49ers K Jeff Reed UFA Seattle Seahawks Player re-signed by the 49ers 2011 NFL draft 2011 NFL draft + San Francisco 49ers 2011 NFL Draft selections Draft order Player name Position Height Weight College Contract Notes Round Choice Overall 1 7 7 Aldon Smith DE 6'4" 263 lbs. Missouri 2 4 36 Colin Kaepernick QB 6'4" 233 lbs. Nevada Broncos Trade [e] 3 12 80 Chris Culliver CB 6'1" 201 lbs. South Carolina Jaguars Trade [f] 4 11 108Traded to the Denver Broncos Broncos Trade [e] 4 18 115 Kendall Hunter RB 5'8" 190 lbs. Oklahoma State 2010 Trade [a] 5 10 141Traded to the Denver Broncos Broncos Trade [e] 5 32 163 Daniel Kilgore G 6'3" 308 lbs. Appalachian State Packers Trade [g] 6 9 174Traded to the Green Bay PackersPackers Trade [g] 6 17 182 Ronald Johnson WR 6'1" 190 lbs. University of Southern California Jaguars Trade [f] 6 25 190 Colin Jones S 5'11" 200 lbs. Texas Christian University Kentwan Balmer [b] 7 8 211 Bruce Miller FB 6'1" 254 lbs.University of Central Florida 7 28 231Traded to the Green Bay PackersShaun Hill [c]Packers Trade [g] 7 36 239 Mike Person OT 6'4" 299 lbs. Montana State Compensatory [d] 7 47 250 Curtis Holcomb CB 5'10" 184 lbs. Florida A&M Compensatory [d] Draft notes 2010 Trade [a] The 49ers acquired this fourth-round selection from the San Diego Chargers along with a 2010 third-round selection (#91 overall; used to select LB NaVorro Bowman) and a 2010 sixth-round selection (#173 overall; used to select RB Anthony Dixon) in exchange for a 2010 third-round selection (#79 overall).Draft trade tracker: Let's make a deal: Safety insurance: The Butler did it: Chargers snag linebacker http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d817b4621&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true NFL.com April 23, 2010 April 23, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100425001108/http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d817b4621&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true 25 April 2010 dead Kentwan Balmer [b] The 49ers acquired this sixth-round selection from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for DT Kentwan Balmer.Report: Niners Trade Balmer to Seattle http://www.csncalifornia.com/08/16/10/Report-Niners-Send-Balmer-to-Seattle-for/landing.html?blockID=291149&feedID=2539 CSNBayArea.com August 16, 2010 August 19, 2010 https://archive.today/20120724082031/http://www.csncalifornia.com/08/16/10/Report-Niners-Send-Balmer-to-Seattle-for/landing.html?blockID=291149&feedID=2539 2012-07-24 dead Shaun Hill [c]The 49ers acquired this seventh-round selection from the Detroit Lions in exchange for QB Shaun Hill.49ers sign Carr, deal Hill to Lions https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4997553 Associated Press March 16, 2010 March 16, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100317200023/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4997553 17 March 2010 live Compensatory [d] Compensatory selection Broncos Trade [e] The 49ers acquired this second-round selection from the Denver Broncos in exchange for their second-round selection (#45 overall), a fourth-round selection (#108 overall), and a fifth-round selection (#141 overall). Jaguars Trade [f] The 49ers acquired this third-round selection (#80 overall) and this sixth-round selection (#180 overall) from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for their third-round selection (#76 overall). Packers Trade [g] The 49ers acquired this fifth-round selection (#163 overall) from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for their sixth-round selection (#174 overall) and a seventh-round selection (#231 overall). Personnel Staff 2011 San Francisco 49ers #C8102E white #B9975B Co-chairman – Denise DeBartolo York Co-chairman – John York CEO – Jed York President/co-owner – Gideon Yu General manager – Trent Baalke Director of player personnel – Tom Gamble Director of college scouting – Joel Patten Director of football administration – Brian Hampton Head coach – Jim Harbaugh Offensive coordinator – Greg Roman Quarterbacks – Geep Chryst Running backs – Tom Rathman Wide receivers – John Morton Tight ends – Reggie Davis Offensive line – Tim Drevno Offensive line – Mike Solari Offensive assistant – Bobby Engram Defensive coordinator – Vic Fangio Defensive line – Jim Tomsula Linebackers – Jim Leavitt Secondary – Ed Donatell Assistant secondary – Greg Jackson Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator – Brad Seely Coaching assistant - Ejiro Evero Head strength and conditioning – Mark Uyeyama Assistant strength and conditioning – Kevin Tolbert Roster 2011 San Francisco 49ers 53 3 7  7 Colin Kaepernick y 11 Alex Smith  3 Scott Tolzien y 24 Anthony Dixon 21 Frank Gore 32 Kendall Hunter y 49 Bruce Miller American football y FB 44 Moran Norris FB 15 Michael Crabtree 19 Ted Ginn Jr. RS 13 Joe Hastings American football y 18 Brett Swain gridiron football 10 Kyle Williams wide receiver, born 1988 85 Vernon Davis 81 Justin Peelle 46 Delanie Walker 75 Alex Boone T 76 Anthony Davis offensive tackle, born 1989 T 59 Jonathan Goodwin American football C 77 Mike Iupati G 67 Daniel Kilgore American football C 78 Mike Person G/T 62 Chilo Rachal G 68 Adam Snyder G 74 Joe Staley T 96 Demarcus Dobbs DE 95 Ricky Jean Francois DE 91 Ray McDonald DE 94 Justin Smith defensive end DE 90 Isaac Sopoaga NT 93 Ian Williams American football y NT 53 NaVorro Bowman ILB 55 Ahmad Brooks OLB 51 Blake Costanzo ILB 56 Tavares Gooden ILB 54 Larry Grant American football ILB 98 Parys Haralson OLB 99 Aldon Smith y OLB 52 Patrick Willis ILB 26 Tramaine Brock CB 25 Tarell Brown CB 29 Chris Culliver y CB 38 Dashon Goldson FS 43 Colin Jones American football y FS 22 Carlos Rogers American_football CB 30 Reggie Smith defensive back SS 36 Shawntae Spencer CB 27 C. J. Spillman SS 31 Donte Whitner SS 20 Madieu Williams FS  2 David Akers K 86 Brian Jennings LS  4 Andy Lee American_football P 82 Nate Byham TE IR 84 Josh Morgan WR IR 92 Will Tukuafu DE IR 61 Chase Beeler y C 71 Derek Hall American football y T 87 John Matthews American football WR 23 Cory Nelms y CB 48 Konrad Reuland y TE 47 Monte Simmons y LB 57 Michael Wilhoite y LB Notes Wide receiver Braylon Edwards was released after nine games. Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 12 at New Orleans Saints L 3–24 0–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 2 August 20 Oakland Raiders * W 17–3 1–1 Candlestick Park Recap 3 August 27 Houston Texans L 7–30 1–2 Candlestick Park Recap 4 September 1 at San Diego Chargers W 20–17 2–2 Qualcomm Stadium Recap Candlestick Park incident The preseason game against the Raiders was marked by brawls in the stands and a major beating in a restroom at Candlestick Park. Because of this, the NFL officially canceled all future preseason games between the two teams. They now only meet in the regular season every four years when the NFC West plays the AFC West, or in the Super Bowl. Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 Seattle Seahawks W 33–17 1–0 Candlestick Park Recap 2 September 18 Dallas Cowboys L 24–27 (OT) 1–1 Candlestick Park Recap 3 September 25 at Cincinnati Bengals W 13–8 2–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 4 October 2 at Philadelphia Eagles W 24–23 3–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 5 October 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 48–3 4–1 Candlestick Park Recap 6 October 16 at Detroit Lions W 25–19 5–1 Ford Field Recap 7 Bye 8 October 30 Cleveland Browns W 20–10 6–1 Candlestick Park Recap 9 November 6 at Washington Redskins W 19–11 7–1 FedExField Recap 10 November 13 New York Giants W 27–20 8–1 Candlestick Park Recap 11 November 20 Arizona Cardinals W 23–7 9–1 Candlestick Park Recap 12 November 24 at Baltimore Ravens L 6–16 9–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 13 December 4 St. Louis Rams W 26–0 10–2 Candlestick Park Recap 14 December 11 at Arizona Cardinals L 19–21 10–3 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 15 December 19 Pittsburgh Steelers W 20–3 11–3 Candlestick Park Recap 16 December 24 at Seattle Seahawks W 19–17 12–3 CenturyLink Field Recap 17 January 1, 2012 at St. Louis Rams W 34–27 13–3 Edward Jones Dome Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week One: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary September 11 1:15 p.m. PDT Seahawks 0 0 7 10 49ers 0 16 0 17 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 72 F (Partly Cloudy) Jeff Triplette Fox Dick Stockton, John Lynch and Jaime Maggio First quarter No scoring plays. Second quarter SF – David Akers 27 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 3–0. SF – David Akers 24 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 6–0. SF – David Akers 31 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 9–0. SF – Alex Smith 1 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 16–0. Third quarter SEA – Golden Tate 8 yd. pass from Tarvaris Jackson (Steven Hauschka kick), 49ers 16–7. Fourth quarter SEA – Steven Hauschka 39 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 16–10. SF – David Akers 18 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 19–10. SEA – Doug Baldwin 55 yd. pass from Tarvaris Jackson (Steven Hauschka kick), 49ers 19–17. SF – Ted Ginn 102 yd. kickoff return (David Akers kick), 49ers 26–17. SF – Ted Ginn 55 yd. punt return (David Akers kick), 49ers 33–17. Top passers SEA – Tarvaris Jackson – 21/37, 197 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception SF – Alex Smith – 15/20, 124 yards Top rushers SEA – Marshawn Lynch – 13 carries, 33 yards SF – Frank Gore – 22 carries, 59 yards Top receivers SEA – Doug Baldwin – 4 receptions, 83 yards, 1 touchdown SF – Vernon Davis – 5 receptions, 47 yards Top tacklers SEA – Kam Chancellor – 10 tackles SF – NaVorro Bowman – 7 tackles With the win, the 49ers started the season 1–0. As of 2026, this is the last time the 49ers returned a punt for a touchdown.Holloway Patrick 2026-08-22 Jacob Cowing could do something for the 49ers that hasn’t happened since 2011 https://www.ninersnation.com/san-francisco-49ers-depth-chart/161537/49ers-chargers-jacob-cowing-punt-return-nfl-preseason-2026-deebo-samuel 2026-08-22 Niners Nation en-US Week 2: vs. Dallas Cowboys San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Two: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary September 18 1:05 pm. PDT Cowboys 0 7 7 10 3 49ers 0 14 7 3 0 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 77 F (Sunny) Ron Winter Fox Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin First quarter No Scoring Second quarter SF – Frank Gore 1 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 7–0 SF – Kyle Williams 12 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 14–0 DAL – Miles Austin 53 yd. pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 49ers 14–7 Third quarter DAL – Miles Austin 5 yd. pass from Jon Kitna (Dan Bailey kick), Tied 14–14 SF – Delanie Walker 29 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 21–14 Fourth quarter SF – David Akers 55 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 24–14 DAL – Miles Austin 25 yd. pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 49ers 24–21 DAL – Dan Bailey 48 yd. Field Goal, Tied 24–24 Overtime DAL – Dan Bailey 19 yd. Field Goal, Cowboys 27–24 Top passers DAL – Tony Romo – 20/33, 345 yards, 2 touchdowns SF – Alex Smith – 16/24, 179 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception Top rushers DAL – Felix Jones – 9 carries, 25 yards SF – Frank Gore – 20 carries, 47 yards Top receivers DAL – Miles Austin – 9 receptions, 143 yards, 3 touchdowns SF – Ted Ginn Jr. – 4 receptions, 38 yards Top tacklers DAL – Sean Lee – 9 tackles, 1 assist SF – NaVorro Bowman – 10 tackles, 1 assist With the loss, the 49ers fell to 1–1. Week 3: at Cincinnati Bengals San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Three: San Francisco 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary September 25 1:00 p.m. EDT/10:00 am. PDT 49ers 0 0 3 10 Bengals 3 0 0 5 Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio 43,363 71 F (Partly Cloudy) Jerome Boger Fox Ron Pitts, Jim Mora, Jr. and Jennifer Hale First quarter CIN – Mike Nugent 22 yd. Field Goal, Bengals 3–0 Second quarter No Scoring Third quarter SF – David Akers 23 yd. Field Goal, Tied 3–3 Fourth quarter CIN – Mike Nugent 23 yd. Field Goal, Bengals 6–3 SF – Kendall Hunter 7 yd. run (David Akers kick) 49ers 10–6 SF – David Akers 53 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 13–6 CIN – Andy Lee run out of bounds for a safety, 49ers 13–8 Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 20/30, 201 YDS, 0 TD, 0 INT CIN – Andy Dalton – 17/32, 157 YDS, 0 TD, 2 INT Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 17 CAR, 42 YDS CIN – Cedric Benson – 17 CAR, 64 YDS Top receivers SF – Vernon Davis – 8 REC, 114 YDS CIN – Andre Caldwell – 6 REC, 53 YDS Top tacklers SF – NaVorro Bowman – 7 TKL, 4 AST CIN – Reggie Nelson – 7 TKL, 2 AST With the win, the 49ers improved to 2–1. Week 4: at Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Four: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary October 2 1:00 pm. EDT/10:00 am. PDT 49ers 0 3 14 7 Eagles 7 13 3 0 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 69,144 54 F (Cloudy) Alberto Riveron Fox Ron Pitts and Jim Mora, Jr. First quarter PHI – Clay Horbor 16 yd. pass from Michael Vick (Alex Henery kick), Eagles 7–0 Second quarter SF – David Akers 37 yd. Field Goal, Eagles 7–3 PHI – Alex Henery 32 yd. Field Goal, Eagles 10–3 PHI – Alex Henery 32 yd. Field Goal, Eagles 13–3 PHI – LeSean McCoy 5 yd. pass from Michael Vick (Alex Henery kick), Eagles 20–3 Third quarter PHI – Alex Henery 33 yd. Field Goal, Eagles 23–3 SF – Josh Morgan 30 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), Eagles 23–10 SF – Vernon Davis 9 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), Eagles 23–17 Fourth quarter SF – Frank Gore 12 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 24–23 Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 21/33, 291 yards, 2 touchdowns PHI – Michael Vick – 30/46, 416 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 15 carries, 127 yards PHI – Michael Vick – 8 carries, 75 yards Top receivers SF – Michael Crabtree – 5 receptions, 68 yards PHI – DeSean Jackson – 6 rceptions, 171 yards Top tacklers SF – Dashon Goldson – 10 tackles PHI – Jamar Chaney – 6 tackles, 2 assists With the comeback win, the 49ers improved to 3–1. Week 5: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Five: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary October 9 1:05 pm. PDT Buccaneers 3 0 0 0 49ers 7 17 10 14 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 63 F (Sunny) Terry McAulay Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa First quarter SF – Delanie Walker 26 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 7–0 TB – Connor Barth 24 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 7–3 Second quarter SF – Carlos Rogers 31 yd. interception return (David Akers kick), 49ers 14–3 SF – Frank Gore 2 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 21–3 SF – David Akers 37 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 24–3 Third quarter SF – Vernon Davis 23 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 31–3 SF – David Akers 27 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 34–3 Fourth quarter(David Akers kick) SF – Vernon Davis 14 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 41–3 SF – Anthony Dixon 1 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 48–3 Top passers TB – Josh Freeman – 17/33, 187 yards, 2 interceptions SF – Alex Smith – 11/19, 170 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions Top rushers TB – LeGarrette Blount – 10 rushes, 34 yards SF – Frank Gore – 20 rushes, 125 yards, 1 touchdown Top receivers TB – Kellen Winslow – 5 receptions, 54 yards SF – Josh Morgan – 5 receptions, 75 yards Top tacklers TB – Sean Jones – 8 tackles SF – Patrick Willis – 10 tackles, 2 assists With the win, the 49ers improved to 4–1. Week 6: at Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Six: San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions – Game summary October 16 1:00 pm. EDT/10:00 am. PDT 49ers 0 12 3 10 Lions 10 0 3 6 Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan 62,061 Played indoors (dome stadium) Mike Carey Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa RecapGamebook First quarter DET – Jason Hanson 25-yard field goal, Lions 3–0, Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 2:01. DET – Brandon Pettigrew 16-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 10–0, Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 3:02. Second quarter SF – Frank Gore 1-yard run (David Akers kick), Lions 10–7, Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:47. SF – Matthew Stafford sacked by Aldon Smith and Ray McDonald in end zone for −11 yards, Lions 10–9, Drive: 2 plays, −11 yards, 0:05. SF – David Akers 55-yard field goal, 49ers 12–10, Drive: 4 plays, 21 yards, 0:55. Third quarter DET – Jason Hanson 24-yard field goal, Lions 13–12, Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 2:12. SF – David Akers 31-yard field goal, 49ers 15–13, Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:18. Fourth quarter DET – Nate Burleson 5-yard pass from Matthew Stafford, Lions 19–15, Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 2:55. SF – Delanie Walker 6-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 22–19, Drive: 8 plays, 35 yards, 3:33. SF – David Akers 37-yard field goal, 49ers 25–19, Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:14. Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 17/32, 125 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception DET – Matthew Stafford – 28/50, 293 yards, 2 touchdowns Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 15 carries, 141 yards, 1 touchdown DET – Jahvid Best – 12 carries, 37 yards Top receivers SF – Michael Crabtree – 9 receptions, 77 yards DET – Calvin Johnson – 7 receptions, 113 yards Top tacklers SF – Navarro Bowman – 8 tackles, 5 assists DET – DeAndre Levy – 7 tackles, 5 assists With the win, the 49ers went into their bye week at 5–1. Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eight: Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary October 30 1:15 pm. PDT Browns 0 3 0 7 49ers 10 7 0 3 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 74 F (Sunny) Bill Leavy CBS Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts First quarter SF – Frank Gore 4 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 7–0 SF – David Akers 29 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 10–0 Second quarter SF – Michael Crabtree 2 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 17–0 CLE – Phil Dawson 52 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 17–3 Third quarter No Scoring Fourth quarter CLE – Joshua Cribbs 45 yd. pass from Colt McCoy (Phil Dawson kick), 49ers 17–10 SF – David Akers 26 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 20–10 Top passers CLE – Colt McCoy – 22/34, 241 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception SF – Alex Smith – 15/24, 177 yards, 1 touchdown Top rushers CLE – Chris Ogbonnaya – 11 carries, 37 yards SF – Frank Gore – 31 carries, 134 yards Top receivers CLE – Jordan Norwood – 5 receptions, 32 yards SF – Michael Crabtree – 5 receptions, 54 yards, 1 touchdown Top tacklers CLE – D'Qwell Jackson – 11 tackles SF – NaVorro Bowman – 11 tackles, 1 assist With the win, the 49ers improved to 6–1. Week 9: at Washington Redskins San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Nine: San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins – Game summary November 6 1:00 pm. EST/10:00 am. PST 49ers 0 13 3 3 Redskins 0 3 0 8 FedExField, Landover, Maryland 78,032 56 F (Sunny) Gene Steratore Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa First quarter No Scoring Second quarter SF – David Akers 52 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 3–0 SF – David Akers 34 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 6–0 SF – Bruce Miller 30 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 13–0 WAS – Graham Gano 59 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 13–3 Third quarter SF – David Akers 45 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 16–3 Fourth quarter SF – David Akers 20 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 19–3 WAS – Jabar Graffney 9 yd. pass from John Beck (Leonard Hankerson pass from John Beck), 49ers 19–11 Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 17/24, 200 yards, 1 touchdown WAS – John Beck – 30/47, 254 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 19 carries, 107 yards WAS – Roy Helu – 10 carries, 41 yards Top receivers SF – Michael Crabtree – 5 receptions, 51 yards WAS – Roy Helu – 14 receptions, 105 yards Top tacklers SF – Patrick Willis – 9 tackles, 4 assists WAS – Reed Doughty – 6 tackles, 5 assists With the win, the 49ers improved to 7–1. Week 10: vs. New York Giants San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Ten: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary November 13 1:15 pm. PST Giants 3 3 7 7 49ers 3 6 3 15 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 62 F (Partly Cloudy) Tony Corrente Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver First quarter NYG – Lawerence Tynes 23 yd. Field Goal, Giants 3–0 SF – David Akers 36 yd. Field Goal, Tied 3–3 Second quarter NYG – Lawerence Tynes 25 yd. Field Goal, Giants 6–3 SF – David Akers 52 yd. Field Goal, Tied 6–6 SF – David Akers 39 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 9–6 Third quarter SF – David Akers 28 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 12–6 NYG – Mario Manningham 13 yd. pass from Eli Manning (Lawerence tynes kick), Giants 13–12 Fourth quarter SF – Vernon Davis 31 yd. pass from Alex Smith (Michael Crabtree pass from Alex Smith), 49ers 20–13 SF – Kendall Hunter 17 yd. run (David Akers kick), 49ers 27–13 NYG – Hakeem Nicks 32 yd. pass from Eli Manning (Lawerence Tynes kick), 49ers 27–20 Top passers NYG – Eli Manning – 26/40, 311 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT SF – Alex Smith – 19/30, 242 YDS, TD, INT Top rushers NYG – Brandon Jacobs – 18 CAR, 55 YDS SF – Kendall Hunter – 6 CAR, 40 YDS, TD Top receivers NYG – Victor Cruz – 6 REC, 84 YDS SF – Delanie Walker – 6 REC, 69 YDS Top tacklers NYG – Kenny Phillips/Antrel Rolle – 4 TKL, AST each SF – NaVorro Bowman – 10 TKL, 4 AST With the win, the 49ers improved to 8–1. Week 11: vs. Arizona Cardinals San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eleven: Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary November 20 1:05 pm. PST Cardinals 0 0 0 7 49ers 6 3 14 0 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 52 F (Light Rain) Pete Morelli Fox Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin First quarter SF – David Akers 22 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 3–0 SF – David Akers 43 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 6–0 Second quarter SF – David Akers 29 yd. Field Goal, 49ers 9–0 Third quarter SF – Kyle Williams 8 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 16–0 SF – Vernon Davis 18 yd. pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 23–0 Fourth quarter ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 23 yd. pass from Richard Bartel (Jay Feely kick), 49ers 23–7 Top passers ARI – Ricahrd Bartel – 8/16, 64 yards, 1 touchdown SF – Alex Smith – 20/38, 267 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception Top rushers ARI – Chris Wells – 8 carries, 33 yards SF – Frank Gore – 24 carries, 88 yards Top receivers ARI – Early Doucet – 6 receptions, 50 yards SF – Michael Crabtree – 7 receptions, 120 yards Top tacklers ARI – Paris Lenon – 9 tackles SF – Patrick Willis – 6 tackles, 1 assist With this win, the 49ers improve their record to 9–1, securing them their first winning season since 2002. Week 12: at Baltimore Ravens Thanksgiving Day Game San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Twelve: San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary November 24 8:20 pm. EST/5:20 pm. PST 49ers 3 0 3 0 Ravens 3 3 0 10 M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland 71,345 53 F (Clear) John Parry NFLN Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan First quarter BAL – Billy Cundiff 39-yard field goal, Ravens 3–0, Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:39. SF – David Akers 45-yard field goal, Tied 3–3, Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 4:42. Second quarter BAL – Billy Cundiff 23-yard field goal, Ravens 6–3, Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:24. Third quarter SF – David Akers 52-yard field goal, Tied 6–6, Drive: 13 plays, 46 yards, 7:30. Fourth quarter BAL – Dennis Pitta 8-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Billy Cundiff kick), Ravens 13–6, Drive: 16 plays, 76 yards, 7:34. BAL – Billy Cundiff 39-yard field goal, Ravens 16–6, Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 4:16. Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 15/24, 140 yards, 1 interception BAL – Joe Flacco – 15/23, 161 yards, 1 touchdown Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 14 carries, 39 yards BAL – Ray Rice – 21 carries, 59 yards Top receivers SF – Michael Crabtree – 6 receptions, 54 yards BAL – Anquan Boldin – 4 receptions, 63 yards Top tacklers SF – NaVorro Bowman – 9 tackles BAL – Bernard Pollard – 8 tackles Coming off their divisional home win over the Cardinals, head coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers flew to M&T Bank Stadium for a Week 12 interconference duel with the Baltimore Ravens and their head coach (Jim's brother) John Harbaugh on Thanksgiving. San Francisco trailed early in the first quarter as Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff got a 39-yard field goal, yet the 49ers answered with a 45-yard field goal from kicker David Akers. Baltimore struck back in the second quarter with Cundiff making a 23-yard field goal. San Francisco began the third quarter with a 52-yard field goal from Akers, but the Ravens opened the fourth quarter with quarterback Joe Flacco completing an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dennis Pitta, followed by Cundiff nailing a 39-yard field goal. The Niners tried to rally, but Baltimore's defense held on to preserve the win. With the loss, the 49ers fell to 9–2. These two teams would meet again a year later in Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers falling short, 34–31. Week 13: vs. St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Thirteen: St. Louis Rams at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary December 4 1:15 pm. PST Rams 0 0 0 0 49ers 3 6 10 7 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 55 F (Sunny) Pete Morelli Fox Chris Myers and Tim Ryan First quarter SF – David Akers 36-yard field goal, 49ers 3–0. Second quarter SF – David Akers 19-yard field goal, 49ers 6–0. SF – David Akers 28-yard field goal, 49ers 9–0. Third quarter SF – Michael Crabtree 52-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 16–0. SF – David Akers 34-yard field goal, 49ers 19–0. Fourth quarter SF – Kyle Williams 56-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 26–0. Top passers STL – A.J. Feeley – 12/22, 156 yards, 1 interception SF – Alex Smith – 17/23, 274 yards, 2 touchdown Top rushers STL – Steven Jackson – 10 carries, 19 yards SF – Frank Gore – 21 carries, 73 yards Top receivers STL – Brandon Gibson – 4 catches, 42 yards SF – Michael Crabtree – 4 catches, 96 yards, 1 touchdown Top tacklers STL – Craig Dehl – 11 tackles, 2 assists SF – NaVarro Bowman – 6 tackles With the shutout win, not only did the 49ers improve to 10–2, but they also clinched 1st place in the NFC West for their first playoff berth since the 2002 season. Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fourteen: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary December 11 2:05 p.m. MST/1:05 pm. PST 49ers 3 9 7 0 Cardinals 0 7 7 7 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 60,808 Played indoors (retractable roof closed) Alberto Riveron Fox Dick Stockton, John Lynch and Jennifer Hale First quarter SF – David Akers 46-yard field goal, 49ers 3–0. Second quarter SF – David Akers 22-yard field goal, 49ers 6–0. ARI – Early Doucet 60-yard pass from John Skelton (Jay Feely kick), Cardinals 7–6. SF – David Akers 27-yard field goal, 49ers 9–7. SF – David Akers 22-yard field goal, 49ers 12–7. Third quarter SF – Frank Gore 37-yard run (David Akers kick), 49ers 19–7. ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 46-yard pass from John Skelton (Jay Feely kick), 49ers 19–14. Fourth quarter ARI – Andre Roberts 3-yard pass from John Skelton (Jay Feely kick), Cardinals 21–19. Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 18/37, 175 yards ARI – John Skelton – 19/28, 282 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 10 carries, 72 yards ARI – Chris Wells – 15 carries, 27 yards Top receivers SF – Michael Crabtree – 7 catches, 63 yards ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 7 catches, 149 yards, 1 touchdown Top tacklers SF – Larry Grant – 10 tackles, 1 assist ARI – Richard Marshall – 4 tackles, 3 assists With the loss, the 49ers fell to 10–3. Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fifteen: Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary December 19 5:30 pm. PST Steelers 0 0 3 0 49ers 6 0 7 7 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 50 F (Clear) Walt Coleman ESPN Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden and John Sutcliffe First quarter SF – David Akers 22-yard field goal, 49ers 3–0. Second quarter SF – David Akers 38-yard field goal, 49ers 6–0. Third quarter PIT – Shaun Suisham 51-yard field goal, 49ers 6–3. SF – Vernon Davis 1-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 13–3. Fourth quarter SF – Frank Gore 5-yard run (David Akers kick), 49ers 20–3. Top passers PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 25/44, 330 yards, 3 interceptions SF – Alex Smith – 18/31, 187 yards, 1 touchdown Top rushers PIT – Rashard Mendenhall – 15 carries, 64 yards SF – Frank Gore – 18 carries, 65 yards, 1 touchdown Top receivers PIT – Jerricho Cotchery – 5 carries, 93 yards SF – Vernon Davis – 6 catches, 72 yards, 1 touchdown Top tacklers PIT – Troy Polamalu – 7 tackles SF – NaVarro Bowman – 7 tackles, 1 assist The 49ers traveled home for a game on Monday Night Football against the Steelers. It was delayed due to a power outage in their stadium. The lights went off again in the 2nd quarter when the 49ers were leading 6–0, which eventually became the score at halftime. In the 2nd half the 49ers would go on a 14 to 3 run to make the final score 20–3 and improve their record to 11–3. Week 16: at Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Sixteen: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary December 24 1:15 pm. PST 49ers 0 3 10 6 Seahawks 7 3 0 7 CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington 66,697 48 F (Cloudy) Ron Winter Fox Ron Pitts, Charles Davis and Drea Avent First quarter SEA – Doug Baldwin 13-yard pass from Tarvaris Jackson (Steven Hauschka kick), Seahawks 7–0. Second quarter SF – David Akers 53-yard field goal, Seahawks 7–3. SEA – Steven Hauschka 19-yard field goal, Seahawks 10–3. Third quarter SF – Frank Gore 4-yard run (David Akers kick), Tied 10–10. SF – David Akers 29-yard field goal, 49ers 13–10. Fourth quarter SF – David Akers 44-yard field goal, 49ers 16–10. SEA – Marshawn Lynch 4-yard run (Steven Hauschka kick), Seahawks 17–16. SF – David Akers 39-yard field goal, 49ers 19–17. Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 14/26, 179 yards SEA – Tarvaris Jackson – 15/28, 163 yards, 1 touchdown Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 23 carries, 83 yards, 1 touchdown SEA – Marshawn Lynch – 21 carries, 107 yards, 1 touchdown Top receivers SF – Michael Crabtree – 5 carries, 85 yards SEA – Golden Tate – 3 catches, 16 yards Top tacklers SF – NaVarro Bowman – 7 tackles, 5 assists SEA – Kam Chancellor – 10 tackles With the win, the 49ers improved to 12–3 and swept the Seahawks for the first time since 2006. The 49ers would not win at CenturyLink Field again until 2019. Week 17: at St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seventeen: San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams – Game summary January 1 12:00 p.m. CST/10:00 am. PST 49ers 7 13 7 7 Rams 7 0 3 17 Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri 55,990 Played indoors (dome stadium) Jeff Triplette Fox Chris Myers, Tim Ryan, & Jaime Maggio First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers SF – STL – Top rushers SF – STL – Top receivers SF – STL – Top tacklers SF – STL – With the win, the 49ers finished their season at 13–3 as they swept the Rams for the first time since 2009 and captured the NFC's #2 playoff seed. Standings Postseason 2011–12 NFL playoffs Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card First-round bye Divisional January 14, 2012 New Orleans Saints (3) W 36–32 1–0 Candlestick Park Recap NFC Championship January 22, 2012 New York Giants (4) L 17–20 1–1 Candlestick Park Recap Game summaries NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. #3 New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse NFC Divisional Round Playoff Game: New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary January 14, 2012 1:30 p.m. PST Saints 0 14 0 18 49ers 14 3 3 16 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 62 F, sunny John Parry Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, & Tony Siragusa First quarter SF – Vernon Davis 49-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 7–0, Drive: 2 plays, 54 yards, 0:46. SF – Michael Crabtree 4-yard catch from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 14–0, Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, 0:15. Second quarter SF – David Akers 21-yard field goal, 49ers 17–0, Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:23. NO – Jimmy Graham 14-yard pass from Drew Brees (John Kasay kick), 49ers 17–7, Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:40. NO – Marques Colston 25-yard pass from Drew Brees (John Kasay kick), 49ers 17–14, Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 3:04. Third quarter SF – David Akers 41-yard field goal, 49ers 20–14, Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:59. Fourth quarter NO – John Kasay 48-yard field goal, 49ers 20–17, Drive: 9 plays, 37 yards, 0:59. SF – David Akers 37-yard field goal, 49ers 23–17, Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 3:02 NO – Darren Sproles 44-yard pass from Drew Brees (John Kasay kick), Saints 24–23, Drive: 9 plays, 79 yards, 3:34. SF – Alex Smith 28-yard run (2-point conversion failed), 49ers 29–24, Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 1:51. NO – Jimmy Graham 66-yard pass from Drew Brees (Drew Brees pass to Darren Sproles for two-point conversion), Saints 32–29, Drive: 4 plays, 88 yards, 0:34. SF – Vernon Davis 14-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 49ers 36–32, Drive: 7 plays, 85 yards, 1:28. Top passers NO – Drew Brees – 40/63, 462 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions SF – Alex Smith – 24/42, 299 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions Top rushers NO – Chris Ivory – 9 carries, 23 yards, 0 touchdowns SF – Frank Gore – 13 carries, 89 yards, 0 touchdowns Top receivers NO – Marques Colston – 9 receptions, 136 yards, 1 touchdown SF – Vernon Davis – 7 receptions, 180 yards, 2 touchdowns Top tacklers NO – Malcolm Jenkins – 8 tackles, 0 assists, 1 sack SF – Dashon Goldson – 11 tackles, 0 assists, 1 interception Alex Smith's 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vernon Davis with 9 seconds left gave San Francisco their first playoff win since 2002 at the end of a wild, back and forth final quarter which featured four lead changes in a span of 3:53. Sports writers and 49ers fans have taken to referring Davis' catch as The Catch III, as it occurred four days after the 30th anniversary of The Catch – Joe Montana's famous game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, one of the most famous plays in San Francisco 49ers history as it helped propel the 49ers to their first-ever Super Bowl, with both plays occurring with the 49ers trailing with less than a minute to play and facing 3rd down and 3 yards to go.https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/story/2012-01-15/vernon-davis-alex-smith-catch/52587252/1 Jorge L. Ortiz USA Today David Hunke; Gannett Company January 15, 2012 January 16, 2012 TD could become 'The Catch III' in 49ers lore This game was voted the number 1 game of 2011 by NFL.com.http://www.nfl.com/qs/top20games/2011/index.jsp Elliot Harrison NFL.com June 25, 2012 April 6, 2014 Game 1: Saints at 49ers Divisional Game (The Catch II refers to Steve Young's game-winning pass to Terrell Owens in the 1998 NFC Wild Card Game against the Green Bay Packers.) With the win, the 49ers improved to 14–3 and faced the New York Giants at Candlestick Park in the NFC Championship Game. 49ers face off the New York Giants but lost in the NFC Championship Game 20-17. NFC Championship: vs. #4 New York Giants San Francisco 49ers 2;text-align:center; autocollapse NFC Championship: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary January 22, 2012 3:30 pm. PST Giants 0 10 0 7 3 49ers 7 0 7 3 0 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 69,732 52 F, rain Ed Hochuli Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver and Chris Myers First quarter SF – Vernon Davis 73-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 7:21. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 73 yards, 0:13 Second quarter NYG – Bear Pascoe 6-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick). Giants 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 4:16 NYG – Lawrence Tynes 31-yard field goal, 0:02. Giants 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 1:34 Third quarter SF – Vernon Davis 28-yard pass from Alex Smith (David Akers kick), 5:18. 49ers 14–10. Drive: 3 plays, 54 yards, 1:30 Fourth quarter NYG – Mario Manningham 17-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 8:34. Giants 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 2:34 SF – David Akers 25-yard field goal, 5:39. Giants 17–17. Drive: 6 plays, 48 yards, 2:55 Overtime NYG – Lawrence Tynes 31-yard field goal, 7:06. Giants 20–17. Drive: 5 plays, 11 yards, 2:26 Top passers NYG – Eli Manning – 32/58, 316 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions SF – A. Smith – 12/26, 196 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions Top rushers NYG – Ahmad Bradshaw – 20 Carries, 74 yards, 0 touchdowns SF – Frank Gore – 16 Carries, 74 yards, 0 touchdowns Top receivers NYG – Victor Cruz – 10 Rec, 142 yards, 0 touchdowns SF – Vernon Davis – 3 Rec, 112 yards, 2 touchdowns Top tacklers NYG – Chase Blackburn – 7 Tot, 5 Solo SF – NaVorro Bowman – 13 Tot, 7 Solo For the fifth time in conference championship history and for the third time in five years, overtime decided the game, and as it was in the 2007 NFC Championship Game, a field goal by Lawrence Tynes was the winning score as the Giants defeated the 49ers for their fifth NFC Championship Game victory. The Giants became the third team in NFL history to advance to the Super Bowl with fewer than 10 wins during the regular season, joining the 1979 Los Angeles Rams and the 2008 Arizona Cardinals. With Ted Ginn Jr. injured, Rookie Kyle Williams started at wide receiver and performed punt returns in the NFC Championship Game. He lost two fumbles returning punts, including one in overtime that preceded the game-winning field goal by the Giants. His other fumble in the fourth quarter was followed by a Giants' touchdown to retake the lead, 17–14. QB Alex Smith defended Williams, saying: "Offensively we weren't good enough today. We didn't get it done .... You can't put it on [Williams]". The 49ers did not make a 3rd down conversion until the 4th quarter. The 49ers' season ended with a 14–4 record. Team statistics Set franchise and NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season (10) Fewest rushing touchdowns allowed in the NFL since 1978 (3) Most consecutive games not allowing a rushing touchdown since 1970 (15) Highest turnover differential in franchise history (+28) Set franchise record of not allowing a 100-yard rusher in 36 consecutive games (dating back to 2009) NFL record set for most field goals made and attempted in a single season (David Akers, 44 out of 52) References External links 2011 San Francisco 49ers at ESPN 2011 San Francisco 49ers at Football Reference San Francisco Category:NFC West championship seasons Category:San Francisco 49ers seasons Category:2011 in San Francisco San Francisco 49ers