ADAM GREEN

Notes from the Nest: Cardinals vs. 49ers

Oct 29, 2012, 11:34 PM | Updated: Oct 30, 2012, 3:31 am

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End of game

No garbage time TD for the Cardinals. This one ends with a score of 24-3. Pretty sad.


2:00 left in game

Cardinals at the San Fran 39 as the game begins to wind down. Can they get a garbage time TD? Maybe?


3:35 left in game — mercifully

Another punt leads to another Cardinals drive. They start at their own 35. Most of the fans won’t be here to see whatever happens, as they’re heading for the exits.


7:54 left in fourth quarter

Cardinals face a 3rd and 23 from their own 20 after some incompletions and sacks. If they don’t convert here they may not win tonight. Heh.


10:51 left in fourth quarter

Cardinals force a punt but a penalty putst he ball on their own five.


12:55 left in fourth quarter

Skelton sacked twice and the Cardinals punt. D’Anthony Batiste is, umm, struggling. Things are getting a little chippy on the field, which is great and all seeing how the score is 24-3.


14:13 left in fourth quarter

Early Doucet gets deaded by Gholston on a ridiculous hit. Like, ouch. Second down.


14:18 left in fourth quarter

Niners deep in their territory after a Dockett sack, forced to punt after a short third down run. Cardinals take over at their own 37, and if there is any hope — fleeting as it may be — they need to get seven on this drive.


:57 left in third quarter

Don’t call it a comeback! No really, don’t. The Cardinals get a field goal after a 14-play, 70 yard drive. It is now 24-3, and all the team needs is seven more drives like that one to knot this thing up.


7:27 left in third quarter

Cards begin at their own 20. Vince Marotta says “now it’s going to get ugly.” Yeah, Vince, now.


7:27 left in third quarter

Niners move ball, Niners score, Niners making this a blowout. Randy Moss takes a third down pass 47 yards for a score, making many a Cardinal miss en route to the end zone.

This is fun.


10:59 left in third quarter

Cardinals offense threatens to look competent, but falls into old habits and stalls at midfield. Punt sails into the end zone and the Niners will take over at their 20.


15:00 left in third quarter

Cardinals have the ball starting at their own 20. Can they get something going? History would say no. I say no. Let’s see what the team says.


Halftime

Skelton’s hail mary is picked off to end the first half. It was short of the end zone anyway.

What a miserable half of football. Good thing much of the northeastern US is unable to watch it.


1:11 left in second quarter

Cardinals driving here, hoping to get into range for maybe a last second field goal.


1:41 left in second quarter

Crabree scores again on third down and it’s now 17-0. When does ESPN decide to stop airing Cardinals games?

Patrick Peterson is having a rough night, as are the Cardinals. Fans leaving their seats, presumably to get refreshments at halftime. We’ll see if they all come back.


2:00 minute warning

49ers driving once again, as they have the ball at the Arizona 10. No bueno, Cards fans. No bueno at all.


4:00 left in second quarter

Another drive goes nowhere after a high (but catchable) pass to Fitz falls incomplete. Niners have the ball with a chance to add to this seemingly insurmountable lead.


5:58 left in second quarter

Crabtree gets enough yardage to get into field goal range, where Akers is good from 43 yards out. It’s only a 10-0 game but it feels like more.

Perhaps that’s what happens when the offense is terrible.


6:52 left in second quarter

A Daryl Washington sack knocks the Niners back 8 yards and now the visitors face a 3rd and 23.


9:34 left in second quarter

Cardinals go a first down but nothing more. Another punt, only this time Ginn gets a nice return of 35 yards. Niners have the ball at the Arizona 45 with a chance to make this a two-score game.


13:25 left in second quarter

Defense does the job and forces another punt. Peterson makes the fair catch at the 10, where Skelton will go to work. Hasn’t looked too good so far.


End of first quarter

The Niners will take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter. I don’t have the stats in front of me, but I fear San Francisco has more points than the Cardinals do net yards gained. That ain’t gonna get it done, folks.


:42 left in first quarter

Cardinals go three-and-out, with Fitz getting up slow after a rare third-down drop. Punt is a good one and the Niners will start at their 44.


1:53 left in first quarter

Cardinals will start this drive from their own 20. Can Skelton get the offense going? He’s going to have to.


1:53 left in first quarter

San Francisco puts a real good drive together, featuring far more running than passing. Gore and Co. carved the Cardinals up, and on 3rd and goal Smith hits Crabtree from three-yards out for the score. Good thing Crabtree is on my fantasy team’s bench tonight.

Anyway, Niners take an early lead after what was a very, very good drive.


7:57 left in first quarter

The Cardinals waste their first successful screen pass of the decade, which picked up 24 yards, but going nowhere on their next three plays. Zastudil’s punt is a good one with little return, but a holding penalty on the Cardinals will help the 49ers out.


10:19 left in first quarter

Defense stiffens up, as Peterson makes a great play on a bubble screen and then Gore is wrapped up for minimal gain.

The punt is a good one, but a 15-yard penalty on the Niners gives the Cardinals decent field position. Drive will start at the Arizona 27, with John Skelton under center.

He’s a perfect 6-0 as a starter at home, can the streak continue?


12:11 left in first quarter

The 49ers burn a timeout facing a 2nd and 14 from their own 46. Frank Gore has found some running room, which is very much a bad thing for the Cardinals. Can’t let him go off, makes the Niners that much more dangerous.


14:55 left in first quarter

Ginn’s return doesn’t go too far and the Niners will start at their own 25. Cardinals D needs to make a statement early in this one.


5:00 until kickoff

The Cardinals won the toss and elected to defer. They’ll kick to the 49ers to start the game. Defense first here in Glendale.

On another note, the roof is open for what should be a very nice night out.

And on another, less fun note, I have a bad feeling about this one. Hope I’m wrong.


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