Three weeks ago, the 49ers fell 20-7 to the Colts, leaving them 1-2 and two games behind the rival Seahawks in the NFC West.
Since then, the 49ers have started to get back into winning form, and Sunday’s 32-20 victory against the Cardinals was their third triumph in a row. The 49ers improved to 4-2 and remain one game behind Seattle, which won against Tennessee on Sunday.
The 49ers’ offense had a strong game, racking up 403 yards. Tight end Vernon Davis shredded the Cardinals’ secondary for eight catches and 180 yards, including first-half touchdowns of 61 and 35 yards.
Leading 22-20 late in the third quarter, the Niners put some distance between themselves and Arizona with an 18-play, 89-yard drive ending in a six-yard Kendall Hunter touchdown run with 6:35 left. Eleven of the 18 plays on the drive were rushes, including the final eight in the sequence.
The Cardinals (3-3) showed some skill and grit in defeat. Their defense did well to limit San Francisco to two field goals after a pair of Carson Palmer interceptions. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald turned a short pass into a 75-yard touchdown after cornerback Trumaine Brock and safety Donte Whitner could not make the tackle.
In the end, though, the 49ers kept the Cardinals at bay for much of the game. And now, San Francisco has gone from a shaky 1-2 to a stable 4-2.