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SANTA CLARA — Jimmy Garoppolo did not need any stinkin’ pep talk to inspire Sunday’s comeback victory, no reminder that a pair of red-zone interceptions had the once-unbeaten 49ers careening toward a second straight loss.
Instead, he saved his best throw for last, to perhaps the last target anyone would suspect.
Garoppolo threw a 25-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass to seldom-used running back Jeff Wilson Jr. with 31 seconds left in an eventual 36-26 triumph over the Arizona Cardinals.
It was Garroppolo’s fourth touchdown pass amid a career-high 424-yard performance for the 49ers, who, at 9-1, clinched their first winning season since 2013.
“There’s no moment that’s too big or wavers Jimmy Garoppolo,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “He stands in there with the look of fire in his eyes that you know everything is going to be OK, you know there’s going to be a big play that’s made.
“Just like our defense seems to comes up with (a big play) all the time, Jimmy has been able to do that. He’s a clutch player and the only guy we want in our helmet.”
The 49ers fell behind 16-0 in the first half — their biggest deficit this season — and they blew a pair of second-half leads to the Cardinals (3-7-1).
The back-and-forth nature reminded coach Kyle Shanahan of Monday night’s 27-24 overtime loss to Seattle, albeit with a happier ending. “It’s exhausting for me, I’m sure it’s exhausting for our players, I know it’s exhausting for my wife watching it and I’m sure it’s exhausting for all the fans,” Shanahan said. “It’s an intense game going back and forth and that’s why everyone loves this sport.”
Solidifying the victory, the 49ers defense recovered a pair of Cardinals fumbles in the final 25 seconds, and D.J. Reed scored on a fumble recovery to end the topsy-turvy affair.
Garoppolo didn’t overly bask in his 424 passing yards and four touchdowns, nor did he dismiss his red-zone interceptions, to which he said: “They were two bad decisions, two bad throws. At the end of the day you have to trust your guys and let them make plays.”
The 49ers complete a three-game homestand next Sunday when they host the Green Bay Packers, followed by a 10-day road trip to face the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints with a Florida layover between those games.
Here are the highs and lows from the 49ers’ bounce-back comeback after Monday’s overtime loss to Seattle:
STUDS
QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO: His 424 yards were the most of a career featuring 15 wins in 18 starts, and his four touchdown passes matched his career high from the 49ers’ 28-25 win at Arizona on Halloween.
“He really played unbelievable,” Shanahan said. “Those two turnovers he had on third down, they were tough, and the defense got him the ball back. To overcome those two turnovers on third down and go finish it like that, he played a (heck) of a game.”
After halftime, Garoppolo was 26-of-30 for 305 yards, with three touchdowns and the two interceptions. When Garoppolo hit Kendrick Bourne for a go-ahead touchdown pass earlier in the fourth quarter, that made Garoppolo 16-of-17 after halftime, with the only incompletion being a what-are-you-thinking interception at the 5-yard line.
RB JEFF WILSON JR.: In his first touch since Oct. 27 against Carolina, Wilson won it on a 25-yard touchdown catch, his fifth touchdown of the season. It’s a play the 49ers have practiced since training camp with all their running backs, and Wilson was subbed in to replace Tevin Coleman once a replay review confirmed a first-and-10 situation was at hand.
“Kyle is a mastermind. I just have to give that all to him,” Wilson said. “I can’t take any of the credit. He called the right play for me and I just did what I had to do to make the play.”
They ultimately put their trust in a seldom-used, second-year running back for the game-winning touchdown, and Wilson came through with his first career receiving touchdown. Preceding that play, the 49ers were awarded a first down via a replay ruling rather than face fourth-and-1, to which Shanahan said he would have gone for it rather than attempt a tying field goal from Chase McLaughlin.
WR DEEBO SAMUEL: Samuel produced his second straight 100-yard game (eight receptions, 134 yards). He overcame a third-quarter shoulder from making a tremendously acrobatic, juggling catch in front of the 49ers’ sideline, while being interfered with by Patrick Peterson.
Said Garoppolo: “He’s one of those guys you love to have in your foxhole. He gets banged up, keeps coming back and doesn’t question it. He’s a fighter. It’s not even just his confidence. It’s his understanding of the offense and becoming more comfortable with it.”
DT ARIK ARMSTEAD: His eighth sack of the season was a vital one. It came on third down after Kyler Murray escaped from Nick Bosa, and it forced a punt that gave the 49ers the ball with just over 2 minutes remaining.
FB KYLE JUSZCZYK: His unheralded receiving ability set up a trio of first-and-goal situations. That included catches over the middle for 14 and 19 yards on the first two touchdown drives. A 7-yard catch set up a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was his second game back from a month-long hiatus (knee sprain), Juszczyk also caught Jimmy Garoppolo’s first pass (4 yards).
WR KENDRICK BOURNE: His go-ahead touchdown catch, on a 2-yard pass over the middle, put the 49ers up 23-19 with 12:14 to go. Earlier, Bourne failed to catch a couple contested passes (drops, if you will) to rekindle memories of Monday night’s two drops.
TE ROSS DWELLEY: His first career touchdowns came in much-needed fashion, and with George Kittle (knee, ankle) out a second straight game. A 4-yard touchdown catch on third-and-goal got the 49ers their first points. Dwelley’s 5-yard touchdown catch and Chase McLaughlin’s ensuing point-after kick put the 49ers ahead 17-16 only 3:53 after halftime. Dwelley also had a touchdown catch negated by a holding penalty just before halftime.
WR RICHIE JAMES JR.: After seeing no offensive snaps Monday night, he took a backside screen pass 57 yards to the Cardinals’ 18-yard line, a near-perfect answer to a 16-0 deficit. That play finally swung the momentum the 49ers’ way.
One play from Shanahan and Richie James and the #49ers are BACK IN IT. pic.twitter.com/0INW3BpOGY
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) November 17, 2019
DT DeFOREST BUCKNER: He chased down the elusive Kyler Murray for a sack on the Cards’ first snap after halftime, then tipped a second-down pass for a near-interception. Buckner has five sacks on the season.
WR EMMANUEL SANDERS: Playing through Monday’s rib injury, he had three catches for 33 yards (and a drop) before needing a breather in the third quarter.
K CHASE McLAUGHLIN: In his first attempt since 47-yard OT miss Monday night, makes 43-yard field goal for 16-10 deficit at halftime
DUDS
DEFENSIVE INJURIES: Pass rusher Dee Ford exited with a right-hamstring strain after a second-quarter sack, and that puts his availiability in doubt for the upcoming games against Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers), Baltimore (Lamar Jackson) and New Orleans (Drew Brees). Also hurt were cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley (cramping; returned to game) and K’Waun Williams (stinger). Moseley made three solid tackles before getting hurt, and he also made a perfect pass-defense on a second-down throw in the second quarter.
SHERMAN PASS INTERFERENCE: Richard Sherman’s three pass-interference penalties are more than any he’s had in an entire season since 2016. On his first penalty Sunday, Sherman tugged on Christian Kirk’s back as a third-down bomb went off Kirk’s helmet, and a replay challenge awarded the Cardinals first-and-goal at the 3.
PENALTIES: Sherman wasn’t exactly singled out. The 49ers got called for their most penalties of the season (10 for 127 yards), with infractions that wiped out a Dwelley touchdown and a Sanders catch at the 2. The Cardinals also drew 10 penalties (104 yards) from referee Walt Anderson’s crew.
RUN GAME WOES: The league’s No.2-ranked rushing attack is in a rut, totaling just 34 yards on 19 carries. Tevin Coleman had 12 carries for 14 yards, Raheem Mostert six for 13 yards, and Garoppolo had a 7-yard scramble. Leading rusher Matt Breida (ankle) did not play but said he feels good and hopes to get “the green light” for next game.
FS JIMMIE WARD: Whether it was a bad angle or bad form but Ward couldn’t stop Kyler Murray on a 22-yard touchdown run with 6:30 remaining. His left-ankle injured early in the game, Ward couldn’t change directions in time in one-on-one space and allowed a 5-yard, second-quarter touchdown catch to Pharoh Cooper for a 16-0 deficit.
DROP ZONE, SEQUEL: After seven (or eight) passes got dropped Monday night, this epidemic continues to infiltrate the 49ers, and no drop could have loomed bigger than Marquise Goodwin at the Cardinals’ 29 with 58 seconds left. Earlier drops came from Samuel, Bourne (two contested passes), Mostert (fourth down) and Sanders.
LB ELIJAH LEE: He looked lost and Larry Fitzgerald looked wide open, resulting in Fitzgerald’s 5-yard touchdown catch and his 19th in 32 career games against the 49ers.
SHANAHAN CHALLENGE: Kyle Shanahan unconvincingly dropped a challenge flag hoping for a Kyler Murray fumble. No dice. Ground caused it. Challenge lost, timeout lost.
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