AP photo: Arizona Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro gets mobbed after booting a 34 yarder for the win by teammates Ryan Quigley (9) DJ Humphries middle and rear Earl Watford (78) against the San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale AZ on Sunday

By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, November 13, 2016

GLENDALE, Ariz. – For a guy who’s had trouble with pressure kicks this season, Arizona’s Chandler Catanzaro finally pulled one out of the fire Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Catanzaro’s 34-yard field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter gave the Cardinals 23-20 NFC West win over San Francisco.

Colin Kaepernick’s 4-yard touchdown run and Phil Dawson’s PAT kick tied the game for the 49ers at 20-20 with 1:55 to play. The Cardinals responded with a drive that chewed up the clock and allowed them to call a time out with :03 left, setting up the game-winning kick from the right hash on the San Francisco 24-yard line.

“It was for all the guys who play their hearts out every game,” Catanzaro said. “The guys up front got it done, it was a good hold by Ryan (Quigley).”

Catanzaro missed a nationally-televised 23-yard attempt in overtime against Seattle on Oct. 23 and didn’t want a repeat of that experience.

“I could visualize the game winner, hitting the ball well,” Catanzaro said. “I’m glad that one went in, the hard work is paying off.”

Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians said, “I had no questions that Cat (Catanzaro) would make the kick. It was never a doubt in my mind.” Asked if David Johnson ran to the right hashmark because that’s the location Catanzaro likes to kick from, Ariens said, “Yes.”

Catanzaro explained, “It’s maybe just something with my eyes, I don’t know. It’s my money ball, I guess. I’m just appreciative of the offense getting the ball down there for me.”

Arizona (4-4-1) was leading 20-13 when 49ers linebacker Gerald Hodges picked off a Carson Palmer pass with 3:13 to play, giving San Francisco (1-8) the ball at their own 43.
On a third down play at the Arizona 31, Kaepernick looked like his old self, scrambling for 19 yards to the Cardinal 12. Following a San Francisco time out, Kaepernick threw an incompletion on first down before a pass to Vance McDonald moved the 49ers to the 4 at the 2-minute warning.

From there, Kaepernick sprinted out to his right, outrunning Cardinals defensive back Deone Buchanan to the edge for the game-tying score.

“It was a play we drew up that we thought could put the defense in a bind,” Kaepernick said. “They allowed us to get around the edge, got in the end zone. … Great feeling to be back in the end zone.

“It was a great opportunity for us,” Kaepernick continued. “Once again, there was a great play by Gerald (Hodges) to get us that pick and give us the opportunity. … We also have to be able to take advantage of opportunities we had earlier in the game and put more points on the board for our defense.”

Arizona had all three of its time outs in hand when it regained possession. A key play on the game-winning drive was on second-and-10 from their own 15, when Palmer moved up in the pocket to avoid a sack and connected with Michael Floyd for a 26-yard gain to the 41.

Five plays later, Palmer completed a 12-yard pass to Johnson, moving the Cardinals to the San Francisco 23. After a 1-yard gain, Johnson ran 11 yards to the 13. A 2-yard loss by Johnson moving the ball to the right hashmark with :03 remaining preceded Catanzaro’s game-winning kick.

“I’m really proud of Cat. It was a huge, huge hit for him,” Palmer said. “He’s had a great last month or so, just watching him at practice – very consistent. There was never a doubt from anybody on our sideline when we sent the field goal team out there.”

San Francisco Coach Chip Kelly said, “It hurts. As tough as they just played, it’s tough to give them words to make them feel better.

“The outcome of the game is the outcome of the game,” Kelly continued. “We competed, we did some good things, and ultimately we continue to get better.”

One of the things the 49ers didn’t do so well was avoiding penalties. In particular, a sequence late in the third quarter, when back-to-back offensive holding calls took San Francisco out of field goal range and forced them to punt.

San Francisco was flagged nine times for 100 yards, while the Cardinals incurred two 5-yard penalties.

“We were the least penalized team in the league coming into this game,” Kelly said. “That drive in the third quarter was the one specifically, the one that I think knocked us out of field goal range. You come away with three there, it’s a totally different ballgame.”

Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald moved into sixth place on the NFL’s all-time reception chart with catch No.1,079, passing Terrell Owens. Fitzgerald caught 12 passes for 133 yards, while Floyd caught five passes for 101 yards.

Palmer completed 30 of 49 passes for 376 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions – to Hodges and Eric Reid.
Kaepernick threw for 210 yards, completing 17 of 30 passes for a touchdown and no interceptions. He was also the 49ers’ leading rusher with 55 yards on 10 carries.

Arizona opened the scoring on a scoring pass from Palmer to a wide open David Johnson, who easily reached the lower left corner of the end zone.

As time ran out in the first quarter, San Francisco punt returner Jeremy Kerley fumbled at the end of a 25-yard return, and Gabe Martin made the recovery for the Cardinals at the Arizona 45-yard line. A penalty against 49ers was declined, and after a video review, the play stood as called.

On the next play, Johnson ran around left end and got to the goal line, just inside the left pylon. A video review upheld the touchdown, and the Cardinals led 14-0 at 14:42 of the second quarter.

San Francisco responded with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Kaepernick to Jeremy Kerley, cutting the Arizona lead to 14-7 and capping a six-play, 75-yard drive. Kerley led the 49ers with seven receptions for 71 yards.

At 8:28 of the second quarter, Catanzaro’s 39-yard field goal extended the Cardinals lead to 17-7.

Phil Dawson, the 49ers’ 41-year-old placekicker, cleared a 49-yard field goal attempt by nearly two feet, bringing San Francisco to within 17-10 with 1:32 left in the first half.

With time winding down in the second quarter, a pass interference call against David Reed gave Arizona the ball at the 49ers 1. After a Palmer incompletion, Catanzaro booted a 19-yard field goal, giving Arizona a 20-10 halftime lead.

San Francisco pulled to within 20-13 at 8:46 of the third quarter when Dawson made a 53-yard field goal. Dawson needs one more field goal to become the 10th kicker in NFL history to reach the 400 mark.

Despite being 1-8, 49ers safety Antoine Bethea said the team is still battling, “and invested.”

“Yeah, for sure we’re still playing together,” Bethea said. “The only people that’s going to get us out of this hole is the people in this locker room. We gonna keep fighting. We’ll come back to work on Tuesday prepared and just keep improving, just try to get a win.”

Next week, the 49ers return home to host New England. Kickoff is 1:25 p.m.

49ER NUGGETS: Pregame inactives for the 49ers included QB Christian Ponder, RB Mike Davis, CB Rashared Robinson, LB Aaron Lynch, OL John Theus, TE Je’Ron Ham, DT Chris Jones. … Jeremy Kerley’s TD reception in the second quarter was the first surrendered by the Cardinals defense in 16 consecutive quarters. … Dawson is third on the active NFL list for field goals with 399, trailing Adam Vinatieri of Indianapolis (522) and Sebastian Janikowski of Oakland (401). … Despite a game-time temperature of 80 degrees and sunshine, the roof was closed at University of Phoenix Stadium.

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