# 2014 San Francisco 49ers season

The 2014 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 65th in the National Football League (NFL), their 69th overall, and their fourth and final season under the head coach/general manager tandem of Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke. It was also the 49ers' inaugural season playing home games at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The 49ers were favorites to make another Super Bowl run at the beginning of the season. However, despite a 7–4 start, the 49ers suffered a late-season collapse, losing four of their final five games, and failing to improve on their 12–4 record from 2013. With their loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, the 49ers were mathematically eliminated from the postseason for the first time since the 2010 season. After the season ended, it was announced that Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers mutually agreed to end his contract with the team, which Harbaugh later disputed.
Despite missing significant starters on the defensive side of the ball due to injuries for most of the season (including Pro Bowlers NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis), the 49ers still finished with the NFL's fifth ranked defense in terms of total yards. They also led the league in interceptions with 23, led by cornerback Perrish Cox, who had five. The 49ers defense also finished fourth in the league in total takeaways with 29. The offense, on the other hand, struggled mightily. The 49ers finished 30th in passing yards per game, 25th in the league averaging just 19.1 points per game, while Colin Kaepernick was sacked 52 times during the season, a team record. From Weeks 7–15, the 49ers averaged just 13.8 points per game, last in the league. During that same stretch, they hit the twenty-point mark just once. They were also outscored by 81 points in the second half of games, and scored just one offensive touchdown in the fourth quarter all year. As a result, offensive coordinator Greg Roman was fired after the season ended.

## Offseason
### Roster changes
#### Free agents

| Position | Player | Tag | 2014 Team | Notes |
| WR | Anquan Boldin | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | Signed 2-year/$12 million deal |
| SS | Donte Whitner | UFA | Cleveland Browns | Signed 4-year/$28 million deal |
| CB | Tarell Brown | UFA | Oakland Raiders | Signed 2-year/$6 million deal |
| CB | Perrish Cox | RFA | San Francisco 49ers | |
| K | Phil Dawson | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | Signed 2-year/$6 million deal |
| RB | Anthony Dixon | UFA | Buffalo Bills | Signed 3-year/$3.5 million deal |
| DE | Demarcus Dobbs | RFA | San Francisco 49ers | Tendered one-year contract |
| C | Jonathan Goodwin | UFA | New Orleans Saints | Signed a 1-year deal |
| WR | Mario Manningham | UFA | New York Giants | Signed with the Giants March 18 |
| QB | Colt McCoy | UFA | Washington Redskins | Signed with the Redskins April 3 |
| FB | Bruce Miller | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | Signed 3-year extension |
| WR | Kassim Osgood | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | Signed one-year deal |
| LB | Michael Wilhoite | ERFA | San Francisco 49ers | Tendered one-year contract |
| CB | Eric Wright | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | Signed one-year deal |

#### Signings

| Position | Player | 2013 Team | Notes |
| SS | Antoine Bethea | Indianapolis Colts | signed March 11 |
| CB | Chris Cook | Minnesota Vikings | signed March 14 |
| QB | Blaine Gabbert | Jacksonville Jaguars | traded March 11 for 6th round draft pick |
| OT | Jonathan Martin | Miami Dolphins | traded March 11 for conditional draft pick |
| WR | Brandon Lloyd | Retired | signed April 15 |
| WR | Stevie Johnson | Buffalo Bills | traded May 9 for conditional draft pick |
| LB | Blake Costanzo | Chicago Bears | Signed June 3 |

#### Departures

| Position | Player | 2014 Team | Notes |
| CB | Carlos Rogers | Oakland Raiders | released March 10 |
| CB | Eric Wright | | retired June 17 |
| RB | LaMichael James | | released September 8 |
| RB | Marcus Lattimore | | retired November 5 |

## 2014 NFL draft

San Francisco 49ers 2014 NFL Draft selections :
| Draft order | Draft order | Draft order | Player name | Position | Height | Weight | College | Notes |
| Round | Choice | Overall | Player name | Position | Height | Weight | College | Notes |
| 1 | 30 | 30 | Jimmie Ward | Safety | 5'11" | 193 | NIU | |
| 2 | 24 | 56 | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | From Chiefs |
| 2 | 25 | 57 | Carlos Hyde | Running back | 6'0" | 230 | Ohio State | From Dolphins |
| 2 | 29 | 61 | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2 | 31 | 63 | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | From Broncos |
| 3 | 6 | 70 | Marcus Martin | Center | 6'3" | 320 | USC | From Jaguars |
| 3 | 13 | 77 | Chris Borland | Linebacker | 5'11" | 248 | Wisconsin | From Titans |
| 3 | 30 | 94 | Traded to the Cleveland Browns | Traded to the Cleveland Browns | Traded to the Cleveland Browns | Traded to the Cleveland Browns | Traded to the Cleveland Browns | Traded to the Cleveland Browns |
| 3 | 36 | 100 | Brandon Thomas | Offensive tackle | 6'3" | 317 lbs | Clemson | Compensatory pick |
| 4 | 6 | 106 | Bruce Ellington | Wide receiver | 5'9" | 197 lbs | South Carolina | From Browns |
| 4 | 29 | 129 | Dontae Johnson | Cornerback | 6'2" | 195 lbs | NC State | |
| 5 | 10 | 150 | Aaron Lynch | Outside linebacker | 6'5" | 250 lbs | South Florida | From Jaguars |
| 5 | 30 | 170 | Keith Reaser | Cornerback | 6'0" | 180 lbs | Florida Atlantic | |
| 5 | 31 | 171 | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | Traded to the Miami Dolphins | From Broncos |
| 6 | 4 | 180 | Kenneth Acker | Cornerback | 6'0" | 185 lbs | SMU | From Browns |
| 6 | 29 | 205 | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 7 | 27 | 242 | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | Traded to the Denver Broncos | From Saints |
| 7 | 28 | 243 | Kaleb Ramsey | Defensive tackle | 6'1" | 300 lbs | Boston College | From Panthers |
| 7 | 30 | 245 | Trey Millard | Fullback | 5'10" | 239 lbs | Oklahoma | |
Notes
    The 49ers acquired an additional second-round selection (No. 56 overall) as part of a trade that sent quarterback Alex Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs originally sent a third-round selection to the 49ers, however, the selection was upgraded to a second-rounder after a condition was met in which the Chiefs won a minimum of eight games during the 2013 season.
    The Broncos traded their second- and fifth-round selections in 2014 (Nos. 63 and 171 overall, respectively) as well a fifth-round selection in the 2015 NFL draft to the 49ers in exchange for a second- and seventh-round selection (Nos. 56 and 242 overall).
    The 49ers traded the second- and fifth-round selections they acquired from Denver to Miami in exchange for Miami's second-round selection (No. 57 overall)
    Jacksonville traded their third- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 70 and 150 overall) to the 49ers in exchange for the 49ers second-round selection (No. 61 overall).
    The 49ers acquired an additional third-round selection (No. 77 overall) as part of a trade that sent their 2013 third-round selection to the Tennessee Titans.
    Cleveland traded their fourth- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 106 and 180 overall) to the 49ers in exchange for the 49ers third-round selection (No. 95 overall).
    The 49ers traded their sixth-round selection (No. 205 overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
    The 49ers acquired an additional seventh-round selection as (No. 242 overall) part of a trade that sent linebacker Parys Haralson to the New Orleans Saints.
    The 49ers acquired an additional seventh-round selection (No. 243 overall) as part of a trade that sent safety Colin Jones to the Carolina Panthers.

### Undrafted free agents

| Position | Player | College | Notes |
| QB | Kory Faulkner | SIU | waived July 29 |
| LB | Shayne Skov | Stanford | waived August 30 |
| TE | Asante Cleveland | Miami | waived August 30 |
| LB | Morgan Breslin | USC | waived May 27 |
| S | LJ McCray | Catawba College | made the 53-man roster |
| OT | Fou Fonoti | Michigan State | waived July 29 |
| C | Dillon Farrell | New Mexico | made the 53-man roster |
| RB | Glenn Winston | Michigan State | waived August 30 |
| OT | Michael Phillipp | Oregon State | waived August 30 |
| TE | Kevin Greene | USC | waived August 25 |

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 7 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 3–23 | 0–1 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 17 | Denver Broncos | L 0–34 | 0–2 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 24 | San Diego Chargers | W 21–7 | 1–2 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | August 28 | at Houston Texans | W 40–13 | 2–2 | NRG Stadium | Recap |

### Regular season

San Francisco began the season strong at 4–2, but struggled heavily down the stretch as they lost 6 of their last 10 to fall out of contention. The 49ers entered the season looking to improve on their 12–4 record from the previous year, but by Week 9 had exceeded their loss total from the season before and had a non-winning record for the first time since their 2010 campaign. In Week 15, the 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to Seattle. Although the 49ers has the fourth ranked defense in the league for 2014, the 49ers offense finished at the bottom five in many offensive categories. From Weeks 7–15, the 49ers were last in the league in points scored, averaging 13.9 points per game and scoring 20 or more points just once (in a Week 10 win against New Orleans). Colin Kaepernick was sacked more than 30 times during that stretch and the 49ers were outscored in the second half of 7 out of those 8 games by a wide margin.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 7 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 28–17 | 1–0 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 14 | Chicago Bears | L 20–28 | 1–1 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 21 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 14–23 | 1–2 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 28 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 26–21 | 2–2 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 5 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 22–17 | 3–2 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 13 | at St. Louis Rams | W 31–17 | 4–2 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
| 7 | October 19 | at Denver Broncos | L 17–42 | 4–3 | Sports Authority Field at Mile High | Recap |
| 8 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 9 | November 2 | St. Louis Rams | L 10–13 | 4–4 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 9 | at New Orleans Saints | W 27–24 (OT) | 5–4 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 11 | November 16 | at New York Giants | W 16–10 | 6–4 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 23 | Washington Redskins | W 17–13 | 7–4 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | November 27 | Seattle Seahawks | L 3–19 | 7–5 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 7 | at Oakland Raiders | L 13–24 | 7–6 | O.co Coliseum | Recap |
| 15 | December 14 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 7–17 | 7–7 | CenturyLink Field | Recap |
| 16 | December 20 | San Diego Chargers | L 35–38 (OT) | 7–8 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | December 28 | Arizona Cardinals | W 20–17 | 8–8 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |||||||

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Cowboys | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: September 7, 2014
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 91,174
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First Quarter
SF – Chris Culliver 35-yard fumble return (Phil Dawson kick), 14:06. 49ers 7–0.
DAL – Dan Bailey 29-yard field goal, 7:22. 49ers 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 6:44.
SF – Vernon Davis 29-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (Phil Dawson kick), 5:54. 49ers 14–3. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:28.
SF – Vernon Davis 2-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (Phil Dawson kick), 4:25. 49ers 21–3. Drive: 1 play, 2 yards, 0:06.
Second Quarter
SF – Carlos Hyde 4-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 0:39. 49ers 28–3. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 3:00.
Third Quarter
DAL – DeMarco Murray 2-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 0:29. 49ers 28–10. Drive: 14 plays, 87 yards, 6:56.
Fourth Quarter
DAL – Terrance Williams 2-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 1:52. 49ers 28–17. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 3:45.
Top Passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 16/23, 201 yards, 2 TD
DAL – Tony Romo – 23/37, 281 yards, TD, 3 INT
Top Rushers
SF – Frank Gore – 16 rushes, 66 yards
DAL – DeMarco Murray – 22 rushes, 118 yards, TD
Top Receivers
SF – Anquan Boldin – 8 receptions, 99 yards
DAL – Dwayne Harris – 1 reception, 56 yards :

##### Game Notes

The 49ers scored touchdowns on each of three Cowboys turnovers, all in the first quarter. Even though the Cowboys held a significant edge in 1st-quarter time of possession (13:26 to 1:34), the 49ers had a 21–3 lead due to the turnovers. With the 49ers up 28–3, the Cowboys found themselves with their largest halftime deficit in a home opener ever. Although the 49ers did not score again in the second half, they held the Cowboys to only 14 more points, and won the game.

#### Week 2: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 28 |
| 49ers | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: September 14
* Game time: 5:30 pm. PDT
* Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 70,799
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Michael Crabtree 3-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 12:42 (SF 7–0)
SF – Phil Dawson 27-yard field goal, 2:48 (SF 10–0)
Second quarter
SF – Frank Gore 8-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 2:22 (SF 17–0)
CHI – Brandon Marshall 17-yard pass from Jay Cutler, Robbie Gould kick, 0:13 (SF 17–7)
Third quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 24-yard field goal, 5:56 (SF 20–7)
Fourth quarter
CHI – Brandon Marshall 5-yard pass from Jay Cutler, Robbie Gould kick, 13:35 (SF 20–14)
CHI – Martellus Bennett 3-yard pass from Jay Cutler, Robbie Gould kick, 13:14 (CHI 21–20)
CHI – Brandon Marshall 3-yard pass from Jay Cutler, Robbie Gould kick, 6:55 (CHI 28–20)
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler, 23/34, 176 Yds, 4 TD
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 21/34, 248 Yds, 1 TD, 3 Int
Top rushers
CHI – Jay Cutler, 5 Car, 25 Yds
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 9 Car, 66 Yds
Top receivers
CHI – Martellus Bennett, 7 Rec, 37 Yds, 1 TD
SF – Michael Crabtree, 7 Rec, 82 Yds, 1 TD
Top tacklers
CHI – Ryan Mundy, 6 Solo, 1 Ast
SF – Patrick Willis, 7 Solo, 1 Ast :
In a pattern similar to the Dallas game of week one, the Niners jumped out to an early 17–0 lead, only to fall victim to a hailstorm of penalties, turnovers and a strong Bears comeback, 28–20. A blocked punt led to a Niner touchdown in the third minute of the game, but a seven-minute drive later in the quarter stalled in the red zone and only yielded a field goal. After a short punt in the second quarter, the Niners scored a second touchdown, but Chicago answered with their first touchdown just before halftime. To start the third quarter, the Niners held the ball for more than nine minutes. But they once again failed in the red zone, and settled for another field goal. The Bears scored three touchdowns in the second half to emerge with the win. The Niners were called on 16 penalties for 118 yards, losing one touchdown run, and keeping Bears' drives alive on multiple occasions. Colin Kaepernick threw three interceptions, lost a fumble, and was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after an interception. The Niners outgained Chicago 361–216, and held the Bears to only 46 rushing yards, but the overwhelming weight of the turnovers and penalties negated any other advantage. The Bears scored touchdowns the last four times they had the ball. This was also the first time since 1985 that the Bears won a road game against the 49ers, ending the Bears' 8-game road losing streak against the 49ers (the Bears were outscored in those 8 losses by a score of 271 to 49).

#### Week 3: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Cardinals | 3 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 23 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: September 21
* Game time: 1:05 pm. PDT & MST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 61,572
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, David Diehl and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 51-yard field goal, 12:23 (ARI 3–0)
SF – Michael Crabtree 2-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 6:45 (SF 7–3)
Second quarter
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 32-yard field goal, 13:42 (SF 7–6)
SF – Carlos Hyde 6-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 5:07 (SF 14–6)
Third quarter
ARI – John Brown 24-yard pass from Drew Stanton, Chandler Catanzaro kick, 9:20 (SF 14–13)
ARI – John Brown 21-yard pass from Drew Stanton, Chandler Catanzaro kick, 4:39 (ARI 20–14)
Fourth quarter
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 35-yard field goal, 0:29 (ARI 23–14)
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 29/37, 245 Yds, 1 TD
ARI – Drew Stanton, 18/33, 244 Yds, 2 TD
Top rushers
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 12 Car, 54 Yds
ARI – Andre Ellington, 18 Car, 62 Yds
Top receivers
SF – Michael Crabtree, 10 Rec, 80 Yds, 1 TD
ARI – Michael Floyd, 5 Rec, 114 Yds
Top tacklers
SF – Michael Wilhoite, 5 Solo, 1 Ast, 1 PD, Patrick Willis, 5 Solo, 1 Ast
ARI – Tony Jefferson, 8 Solo, 2 Ast, 1 Sack :
For the third straight game, the Niners jumped out to an early lead, only to be shut out for the remainder of the game. And for the second straight game, mistakes and penalties allowed their opponent to take the victory. The Niners had pulled out to a 14–6 lead with 5:07 remaining in the second quarter, but saw the Cardinals score 17 unanswered points for a 23–14 victory. The Niners failed to score the last six times they had the ball, and racked up nine penalties for 107 yards, mostly in the second half.

#### Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| 49ers | 3 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 26 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: September 28
* Game time: 1:25 pm. PDT
* Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 70,799
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Brad Smith blocked punt recovery in end zone, Cody Parkey kick, 12:19 (PHI 7–0)
SF – Phil Dawson 29-yard field goal, 3:32 (PHI 7–3)
Second quarter
SF – Frank Gore 5-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 14:45 (SF 10–7)
PHI – Malcolm Jenkins 53-yard interception return, Cody Parkey kick, 12:02 (PHI 14–10)
PHI – Darren Sproles 82-yard punt return, Cody Parkey kick, 8:49 (PHI 21–10)
SF – Phil Dawson 51-yard field goal, 0:59 (PHI 21–13)
Third quarter
SF – Stevie Johnson 12-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 8:06 (PHI 21–20)
SF – Phil Dawson 46-yard field goal, 3:33 (SF 23–21)
Fourth quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 31-yard field goal, 6:35 (SF 26–21)
Top passers
PHI – Nick Foles, 21/43, 195 Yds, 2 Int
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 17/30, 218 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int
Top rushers
PHI – LeSean McCoy, 10 Car, 17 Yds
SF – Frank Gore, 24 Car, 119 Yds
Top receivers
PHI – Riley Cooper, 6 Rec, 54 Yds
SF – Anquan Boldin, 5 Rec, 62 Yds, Michael Crabtree, 5 Rec, 43 Yds
Top tacklers
PHI – Cary Williams, 7 Solo, DeMeco Ryans, 7 Solo
SF – Antoine Bethea, 7 Solo, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 PD :
The Niners broke the pattern of their first three games, and mounted a second-half comeback to beat the Eagles (the 49ers trailed 21–10 in the second quarter). Philadelphia exploited Niner mistakes to score first-half touchdowns on a blocked punt recovery, an interception return and a punt return. But the defense never allowed a point by the Eagles offense, who had led the league in scoring through the first 3 weeks of the season, and on the strength of two Colin Kaepernick touchdown passes and four Phil Dawson field goals, the 49ers took a late 26–21 lead. Late in the game the Eagles moved to the Niner one-yard line, but they turned the ball over on downs, and the Niners held on for the win. The Niners outgained the Eagles 407–213, and held the ball for 42:17.

#### Week 5: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 3 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 22 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: October 5
* Game time: 1:25 pm. PDT
* Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 70,799
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Travis Kelce 2-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 8:42. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 6:23.
SF – Phil Dawson 31-yard field goal, 4:41. Chiefs 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 4:01.
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 42-yard field goal, 12:20. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 14 plays, 63 yards, 7:18.
SF – Phil Dawson 55-yard field goal, 9:49. Chiefs 10–6. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 2:34.
SF – Stevie Johnson 9-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (Phil Dawson kick), 0:35. 49ers 13–10. Drive: 13 plays, 93 yards, 6:39.
Third quarter
KC – De'Anthony Thomas 17-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 12:05. Chiefs 17–13. Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 1:31.
SF – Phil Dawson 52-yard field goal, 6:21. Chiefs 17–16. Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 5:40.
Fourth quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 27-yard field goal, 8:46. 49ers 19–17. Drive: 13 plays, 71 yards, 6:55.
SF – Phil Dawson 30-yard field goal, 2:17. 49ers 22–17. Drive: 14 plays, 56 yards, 4:58.
Top passers
KC – Alex Smith – 16/30, 158 yards, TD, INT
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 14/26, 201 yards, TD
Top rushers
KC – Jamaal Charles – 15 rushes, 80 yards
SF – Frank Gore – 18 rushes, 107 yards
Top receivers
KC – Junior Hemingway – 4 receptions, 50 yards
SF – Brandon Lloyd – 3 receptions, 76 yards
Top tacklers
KC – James-Michael Johnson – 9 tackles, 2 assists, 1 forced fumble
SF – Patrick Willis – 6 tackles, 2 assists, 1 pass defended :
In a game that saw the return of former 49er QB Alex Smith to the Bay Area, the Niners prevailed in a see-saw game, 22–17, on the strength of five Phil Dawson field goals. Kansas City took an early lead on a touchdown pass from Smith to Travis Kelce, but Colin Kaepernick hit Stevie Johnson with a TD pass just before halftime to give the 49ers a 13–10 lead. Smith struck again in the third quarter with a 17-yard scoring pass to De'Anthony Thomas, but Dawson hit three more field goals to give the Niners the win. The Niners outgained the Chiefs 357–264, and had a 36:04–23:56 time of possession advantage, but they only scored one touchdown in four trips into the red zone, continuing their season-long problem in that area.

#### Week 6: at St. Louis Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| Rams | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
* Date: October 13
* Game time: 7:30 pm. CDT/5:30 pm. PDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 56,851
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
STL – Benny Cunningham 1 yard run, Greg Zuerlein kick, 7:55 (STL 7–0)
STL – Lance Kendricks 22-yard pass from Austin Davis, Greg Zuerlein kick, 0:53 (STL 14–0)
Second quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 51-yard field goal, 7:07 (STL 14–3)
SF – Brandon Lloyd 80-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 0:14 (STL 14–10)
Third quarter
SF – Anquan Boldin 11-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 9:58 (SF 17–14)
SF – Michael Crabtree 32-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 0:13 (SF 24–14)
Fourth quarter
STL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 2:24 (SF 24–17)
SF – Dontae Johnson 20-yard interception return, Phil Dawson kick, 0:53 (SF 31–17)
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick 22/36, 343 Yds, 3 TD
STL – Austin Davis 21/42, 236 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int
Top rushers
SF – Frank Gore, 16 Car, 38 Yds
STL – Tre Mason, 8 Car, 40 Yds
Top receivers
SF – Anquan Boldin, 7 Rec, 94 Yds, 1 TD
STL – Jared Cook, 4 Rec, 74 Yds
Top tacklers
SF – Antoine Bethea, 5 Solo, 2 Ast, 1 Sack; Ahmad Brooks, 5 Solo, 2 Sacks
STL – T. J. McDonald, 7 Solo, 3 Ast :
After trailing 14–0 in the 1st quarter, the 49ers completely turned the game around, outscoring the Rams 31–3 and winning by a score of 31–17. With :24 left in the first half, the 49ers down 14–3 and getting outplayed on both sides of the ball, Colin Kaepernick hit Brandon Lloyd for an 80-yard touchdown pass that turned the game around and gave the 49ers the momentum. Kaepernick threw for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns and Anquan Boldin had 7 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers defense recorded 5 sacks, matching their season total. It was the first time since 1986 that the 49ers trailed by double digits and then won by double digits (last time was October 26, 1986, vs Green Bay). This was also the second time this season the 49ers erased a double-digit deficit and won. (Week 4 vs. Eagles)

#### Week 7: at Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Broncos | 14 | 7 | 21 | 0 | 42 |
at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
* Date: October 19
* Game time: 6:30 p.m. MDT/5:30 pm. PDT
* Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C), mostly clear
* Game attendance: 77,047
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DEN - Emmanuel Sanders 3-yard pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick, 8:29 (DEN 7-0)
DEN - Wes Welker 39-yard pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick, 2:57 (DEN 14-0)
Second quarter
SF - Phil Dawson 22-yard field goal, 7:30 (DEN 14-3)
DEN - Demaryius Thomas 8-yard pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick, 3:09 (DEN 21-3)
SF - Stevie Johnson 4-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 0:11 (DEN 21-10)
Third quarter
DEN - Demaryius Thomas 40-yard pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick, 11:48 (DEN 28-10)
DEN - Ronnie Hillman 37-yard run, Brandon McManus kick, 9:24 (DEN 35-10)
DEN - Ronnie Hillman 1 yard run, Brandon McManus kick, 1:36 (DEN 42-10)
Fourth quarter
SF - Bruce Ellington 20-yard pass from Blaine Gabbert, Phil Dawson kick, 1:00 (DEN 42-17)
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 24/39, 263 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
DEN – Peyton Manning, 22/26, 318 yards, 4 TDs
Top rushers
SF – Frank Gore, 9 rushes, 20 yards
DEN – Ronnie Hillman, 14 rushes, 74 yards, 2TDs
Top receivers
SF – Stevie Johnson, 5 catches, 70 yards, 1 TD
DEN – Demaryius Thomas, 8 catches, 171 yards, 2 TDs
Top tacklers
SF – Chris Borland, 7 solo, 1 Ast, 1 sack
DEN – Brandon Marshall, 8 solo, 1 PD :
Behind Peyton Manning's four touchdown passes, the Broncos scored early and often, and administered a sound thrashing to the Niners, 42–17. After a Colin Kaepernick to Stevie Johnson touchdown pass closed the halftime margin to 21–10, Denver exploded for three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away early. Manning was 22 of 26 for 318 yards and four touchdowns, with an almost-perfect quarterback rating of 157.2, as this was one of the worst displays of pass defense by the Niners in history. The Bronco defense held the Niners to 62 yards rushing and totally overwhelmed the offensive line.

#### Week 9: vs. St. Louis Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| 49ers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: November 2
* Game time: 1:05 pm. PST
* Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 70,799
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 34-yard field goal, 4:28 (SF 3–0)
STL – Greg Zuerlein 37-yard field goal, 6:08 (T 3–3)
Second quarter
SF – Anquan Boldin 27-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 1:24 (SF 10–3)
STL – Kenny Britt 21-yard pass from Austin Davis, Greg Zuerlein kick, 0:55 (T 10–10)
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
STL – Greg Zuerlein 39-yard field goal, 2:12 (STL 13–10)
Top passers
STL – Austin Davis – 13/24, 105 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 22/33, 237 yards, 1 TD
Top rushers
STL – Tre Mason – 19 carries, 65 yards
SF – Frank Gore – 14 carries, 49 yards
Top receivers
STL – Benjamin Cunningham – 3 receptions, 38 yards
SF – Anquan Boldin – 6 receptions, 93 yards, 1 TD
Top tacklers
STL – E. J. Gaines - 6 solo, 1 PD; James Laurinaitis - 5 solo, 1 ast, 1 sack
SF – Chris Borland - 15 solo, 3 ast :
Colin Kaepernick fumbled the ball on a quarterback sneak at the Rams 1-yard line with less than 10 seconds remaining in the game, and the Rams held on to upset the Niners, 13–10. The game was a defensive struggle, with both touchdowns scored on drives of less than 40 yards. The 49ers offense continued to struggle, not registering a single point in the 2nd half.

#### Week 10: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| 49ers | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| Saints | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 9
* Game time: 12:00 pm. CST/10:00 am. PST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,129
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Preview, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Frank Gore 4-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 13:01 (SF 7–0)
SF – Carlos Hyde 9-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 4:17 (SF 14–0)
NO – Shayne Graham 40-yard field goal, 0:03 (SF 14–3)
Second quarter
NO – Brandin Cooks 31-yard pass from Drew Brees, Shayne Graham kick, 9:13 (SF 14–10)
SF – Anquan Boldin 15-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 4:45 (SF 21–10)
Third quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 11-yard pass from Drew Brees, Shayne Graham kick, 2:49 (SF 21–17)
Fourth quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 11-yard pass from Drew Brees, Shayne Graham kick, 1:52 (NO 24–21)
SF – Phil Dawson 45-yard field goal, 0:44 (T 24–24)
Overtime
SF – Phil Dawson 35-yard field goal, 5:14 (SF 27–24)
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 14/32, 210 yards, 1 TD
NO – Drew Brees – 28/47, 292 yards, 3 TDs, 2 Int
Top rushers
SF – Frank Gore – 23 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD
NO – Mark Ingram II – 27 carries, 120 yards
Top receivers
SF – Anquan Boldin – 6 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD
NO – Brandin Cooks – 5 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
Top tacklers
SF – Chris Borland – 11 Solo, 6 Ast
NO – Ramon Humber – 7 Solo, 5 Ast :
With the season on the line, the 49ers got off to a quick start, leading 14–0 in the first quarter with a pair of rushing touchdowns by Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde. The Saints rebounded in the 2nd half to take a 24–21 lead. With 1:34 to go, and the 49ers facing 4th and 10 from their own 22-yard line, Colin Kaepernick found a wide open Michael Crabtree for a 51-yard gain that set up the game-tying field goal. On the last play of regulation, the Saints appeared to have scored on a Hail Mary pass from Drew Brees, but the play was overturned by offensive pass interference. In overtime, Ahmad Brooks sacked Brees, causing a fumble recovered by the 49ers' Chris Borland on the Saints' 17. On the very next play, Phil Dawson kicked the game-winning field goal, giving the Niners a 27–24 win. This was the Saints' first home loss in 12 games, and the first home loss under Sean Payton in 20 games (Payton was suspended for all of the 2012 season).

#### Week 11: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Giants | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: November 16
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/10:00 am. PST
* Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 80,352
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NYG - Larry Donnell 19-yard pass from Eli Manning, Josh Brown kick, 6:54 (NYG 7-0)
SF - Phil Dawson 31-yard field goal, 0:59 (NYG 7-3)
Second quarter
SF - Phil Dawson 37-yard field goal, 10:15 (NYG 7-6)
SF - Phil Dawson 44-yard field goal, 7:29 (SF 9-7)
Third quarter
SF - Michael Crabtree 48-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 11:38 (SF 16-7)
NYG - Josh Brown 43-yard field goal, 0:59 (SF 16-10)
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick 15/29, 193 Yds, 1 TD
NYG – Eli Manning 22/45, 280 Yds, 1 TD, 5 Ints
Top rushers
SF – Frank Gore 19 Carries, 95 Yds
NYG – Rashad Jennings 18 Carries, 59 Yds
Top receivers
SF – Michael Crabtree 3 Rec, 85 Yds, 1 TD; Anquan Boldin 5 Rec, 53 Yds
NYG – Rueben Randle 7 Rec, 112 Yds
Top tacklers
SF – Ray McDonald 5 Solo, 2 Ast, 1 Sack
NYG – Jameel McClain 11 Solo, 3 Ast :
With the 49ers offense continuing to struggle in the game, the defense more than made up for it. The 49ers defense intercepted Giants QB Eli Manning 5 times and sacked him twice. In the 4th quarter, with the 49ers holding a 16–10 lead, the Giants marched down the field to the 49ers' 4-yard line with 5:25 left to play. The 49ers defense forced 3 incomplete passes and rookie linebacker Chris Borland intercepted Eli Manning's throw on 4th and goal to preserve the win. This was the second time this season the 49ers defense had a goal line stand late in a game (Week 4 vs Eagles). Colin Kaepernick went 15/29 for 193 yards and a touchdown pass. Frank Gore had 19 carries for 95 yards. With the win, the 49ers moved to 6–4 on the season.

#### Week 12: vs. Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| 49ers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: November 23
* Game time: 1:25 pm. PST
* Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 70,799
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Anquan Boldin 30-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 11:13 (SF 7–0)
Second quarter
WAS - Alfred Morris 1 yard run, Kai Forbath kick, 5:33 (TIE 7-7)
SF - Phil Dawson 41-yard field goal, 0:00 (SF 10-7)
Third quarter
WAS - Kai Forbath 27-yard field goal, 0:31 (TIE 10-10)
Fourth quarter
WAS - Kai Forbath 46-yard field goal, 7:42 (WAS 13-10)
SF – Carlos Hyde 4-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 2:59 (SF 17–13)
Top passers
WAS – Robert Griffin III, 11/19, 106 Yds
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 20/29, 256 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int
Top rushers
WAS – Alfred Morris, 21 Car, 125 Yds, 1 TD
SF – Frank Gore, 13 Car, 36 Yds
Top receivers
WAS – Pierre Garçon, 3 Rec, 34 Yds; DeSean Jackson, 2 Rec, 39 Yds
SF – Anquan Boldin, 9 Rec, 137 Yds, 1 TD
Top tacklers
WAS – Keenan Robinson, 7 Solo, 3 Ast
SF – Chris Borland, 6 Solo, 2 Ast :
Carlos Hyde scored a rare fourth-quarter touchdown for the Niners, and allowed them to hold off the Redskins, 17–13.

#### Week 13: vs. Seattle Seahawks

Thanksgiving Day game
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| 49ers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 5:30 pm. PST
* Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 70,799
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
* Preview, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SEA - Robert Turbin 13-yard pass from Russell Wilson, Steven Hauschka kick, 1:29 (SEA 7–0)
Second quarter
SEA - Steven Hauschka 21-yard field goal, 11:07 (SEA 10-0)
SEA - Steven Hauschka 36-yard field goal, 5:40 (SEA 13-0)
Third quarter
SEA - Steven Hauschka 35-yard field goal, 8:05 (SEA 16-0)
SF - Phil Dawson 40-yard field goal, 1:06 (SEA 16-3)
Fourth quarter
SEA - Steven Hauschka 46-yard field goal, 10:11 (SEA 19-3)
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson, 15/22, 236 Yds, 1 TD
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 16/29, 121 Yds, 2 Ints
Top rushers
SEA – Marshawn Lynch, 20 Car, 104 Yds
SF – Frank Gore, 10 Car, 28 Yds
Top receivers
SEA – Luke Willson, 4 Rec, 39 Yds
SF – Carlos Hyde, 3 Rec, 38 Yds
Top tacklers
SEA – Bobby Wagner, 9 Solo, 1 Ast
SF – Chris Borland, 16 Solo :
The Thanksgiving night matchup against Seattle on national television resulted in a Seahawks win. While the defense held Seattle to a touchdown and four field goals, the Niners only managed 164 yards of offense and one third-quarter field goal. The offense, which traditionally collapsed this season in the face of second-half adjustments, never got on track at all, averaging 3.2 yards per pass and 3.6 yards per rush. Two Colin Kaepernick interceptions and a Perrish Cox fumble were the difference in the game. After the game, 49ers owner Jed York apologized to fans on Twitter for his team's poor performance.

#### Week 14: at Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Raiders | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: December 7
* Game time: 1:25 pm. PST
* Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), overcast
* Game attendance: 55,300
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
OAK - Sebastian Janikowski 57-yard field goal, 11:46 (OAK 3–0)
SF – Bruce Miller 8-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 1:54 (SF 7–3)
Second quarter
OAK - Donald Penn 3-yard pass from Derek Carr, Sebastian Janikowski kick, 10:45 (OAK 10–7)
SF - Phil Dawson 52-yard field goal, 0:01 (TIE 10–10)
Third quarter
SF - Phil Dawson 20-yard field goal, 8:34 (SF 13–10)
OAK - Marcel Reece 9-yard pass from Derek Carr, Sebastian Janikowski kick, 4:09 (OAK 17–13)
Fourth quarter
OAK - Mychal Rivera 5-yard pass from Derek Carr, Sebastian Janikowski kick, 10:39 (OAK 24–13)
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 18/33, 174 Yds, 1 TD, 2 Ints
OAK – Derek Carr, 22/28, 254 Yds, 3 TDs
Top rushers
SF – Frank Gore, 12 Car, 63 Yds
OAK – Latavius Murray, 23 Car, 76 Yds
Top receivers
SF – Michael Crabtree, 9 Rec, 56 Yds
OAK – Marcel Reece, 7 Rec, 109 Yds, 1 TD; Mychal Rivera, 7 Rec, 64 Yds, 1 TD
Top tacklers
SF – Chris Borland - 12 Solo, 2 Ast
OAK – Charles Woodson, 7 Solo, 1 Ast, 1 Int, 1 PD :
The Niners were defeated by local rival Oakland. One of the league's worst defenses dominated the Niner offense. The Niners went into halftime tied at 10 after a 52-yard field goal by Phil Dawson with one second remaining, and briefly led, 13–10 in the third quarter on another Dawson kick. Consecutive 80-yard touchdown drives in the second half by the Raiders condemned the Niners to defeat.

#### Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Seahawks | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
* Date: December 14
* Game time: 1:25 pm. PST
* Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 68,526
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SEA - Steven Hauschka 38-yard field goal, 3:40 (SEA 3-0)
Second quarter
SF - Frank Gore 10-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 13:22 (SF 7-3)
Third quarter
SEA - Marshawn Lynch 4-yard run, Steven Hauschka kick, 2:19 (SEA 10-7)
Fourth quarter
SEA - Paul Richardson 10-yard pass from Russell Wilson, Steven Hauschka kick, 13:20 (SEA 17-7)
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 11/19, 141 Yds
SEA – Russell Wilson, 12/24, 168 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int
Top rushers
SF – Carlos Hyde, 6 Car, 55 Yds; Frank Gore 11 Car, 29 Yds, 1 TD
SEA – Marshawn Lynch, 21 Car, 91 Yds, 1 TD
Top receivers
SF – Bruce Miller, 4 Rec, 56 Yds
SEA – Jermaine Kearse, 5 Rec, 78 Yds; Paul Richardson, 3 Rec, 30 Yds, 1 TD
Top tacklers
SF – Chris Borland, 3 Solo, 3 Ast
SEA – Bobby Wagner, 9 Solo, 1 Ast, 1 Sack :
For the first time in the Jim Harbaugh era, the 49ers lost their third consecutive game. The Niners were several point underdogs in this game, but managed to stay competitive throughout thanks to their defense. They sacked Russell Wilson five times, intercepted him once and held him to just 168 passing yards, while pressuring him throughout the game. But despite a second-quarter touchdown by Frank Gore that gave them the lead at halftime, the offense was ineffective, and could not find a rhythm. This was the seventh time in the last eight games the 49ers offense failed to score at least 20 points. Since week 7, the 49ers were last in the league in scoring (13.7 points per game). With this loss the 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention.

#### Week 16: vs. San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
| 49ers | 7 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: December 20
* Game time: 5:25 pm. PST
* Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 70,699
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (CBS/NFLN): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Jenny Dell
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Frank Gore 52-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 13:12 (SF 7–0)
Second quarter
SF - Bruce Ellington 8-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 13:36 (SF 14–0)
SF – Antoine Bethea 49-yard interception return, Phil Dawson kick, 10:20 (SF 21–0)
SD - Eddie Royal 15-yard pass from Philip Rivers, Nick Novak kick, 5:09 (SF 21–7)
SF - Bruce Ellington 1 yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 0:06 (SF 28–7)
Third quarter
SD - Antonio Gates 1 yard pass from Philip Rivers, Nick Novak kick, 5:49 (SF 28–14)
SD – Corey Liuget recovered fumble in end zone, Nick Novak kick, 3:26 (SF 28–21)
SF – Colin Kaepernick 90-yard run, Phil Dawson kick, 2:26 (SF 35–21)
Fourth quarter
SD - Antonio Gates 21-yard pass from Philip Rivers, Nick Novak kick, 5:15 (SF 35–28)
SD - Malcom Floyd 11-yard pass from Philip Rivers, Nick Novak kick, 0:29 (TIE 35–35)
Overtime
SD - Nick Novak 40-yard field goal, 4:00 (SD 38–35)
Top passers
SD – Philip Rivers, 33/54, 356 yds, 4 TDs, 3 Ints
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 15/24, 114 Yds, 1 TD
Top rushers
SD – Branden Oliver, 13 Car, 53 Yds
SF – Frank Gore, 26 Car, 158 Yds, 1 TD; Colin Kaepernick, 7 Car, 151 Yds, 1 TD
Top receivers
SD – Eddie Royal, 10 Rec, 94 Yds, 1 TD; Antonio Gates, 7 Rec, 92 Yds, 2 TDs
SF – Anquan Boldin, 7 Rec, 61 Yds
Top tacklers
SD – Manti Te'o, 8 Solo, 3 Ast, 1 sack
SF – Michael Wilhoite, 8 Solo, 1 Ast; Antoine Bethea, 7 Solo, 1 Ast, 2 PDs, 1 Int, 1 TD :
The 49ers dominated the first half and led 28–7 at halftime. However, their second-half offense stalled while the defense fell apart as the 49ers squandered a 21-point 3rd-quarter lead and a 14-point lead in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. The Chargers outscored the 49ers 31–7 after halftime. Trailing 35–28, the Chargers drove down the field for the game-tying touchdown, converting two 4th downs on that drive. The 49ers attempted to win in the final seconds of regulation, but Phil Dawson's 60-yard kick was way off. The game went to overtime. The 49ers got the ball first, but a fumble by Quinton Patton allowed the Chargers to have possession on their own 40. The Chargers drove to the 49ers' 22-yard line before kicking a field goal to hand the 49ers their fourth straight loss. The 49ers rushed for an astonishing 355 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown run by Frank Gore and a 90-yard touchdown run by Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a loss The 49ers also scored 35 points, a season high. However, their offensive struggles in the second half of games continued. During the four-game losing streak, the 49ers scored only 13 points in the second half of their games (outscored 65–13 by opponents in the second half of those games). With the loss the 49ers fell to 7–8, ensuring that they would finish without a winning record for the first time since the 2010 season.

#### Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: December 28
* Game time: 1:25 pm. PST
* Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 70,699
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, David Diehl and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
ARI – Michael Floyd 20-yard pass from Ryan Lindley, Chandler Catanzaro kick, 10:55 (ARI 7–0)
SF – Anquan Boldin 76-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 9:24 (TIE 7–7)
Second quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 53-yard field goal, 12:33 (SF 10–7)
SF – Phil Dawson 37-yard field goal, 6:04 (SF 13–7)
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 36-yard field goal, 1:35 (SF 13–10)
ARI – Michael Floyd 41-yard pass from Ryan Lindley, Chandler Catanzaro kick, 0:36 (ARI 17–13)
Third quarter
SF – Bruce Miller 3-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson kick, 0:25 (SF 20–17)
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
ARI – Ryan Lindley, 23/39, 316 Yds, 2 TDs, 3 Ints
SF – Colin Kaepernick, 15/26, 204 Yds, 2 TDs
Top rushers
ARI – Kerwynn Williams, 17 Car, 67 Yds
SF – Frank Gore, 25 Car, 144 Yds
Top receivers
ARI – Michael Floyd, 8 Rec, 153 Yds, 2 TDs
SF – Anquan Boldin, 2 Rec, 81 Yds, 1 TD; Michael Crabtree, 4 Rec, 41 Yds
Top tacklers
ARI – Glenn Carson, 6 Solo, 3 Ast
SF – Craig Dahl, 10 Solo, 1 Int, 1 PD :
A strong defensive showing overcame the usual second-half collapse by the offense, and the Niners held on for a 20–17 win, to even their season record at 8–8. The 49ers defense intercepted Cardinals QB Ryan Lindley three times and sacked him twice, shutting Arizona out in the second half. Phil Dawson kicked two field goals, and Bruce Miller caught a three-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter for the margin of victory. Frank Gore, who needed just 38 yards to reach 1,000 rushing yards on the year, rushed for 144 yards on 25 carries. It was the eighth time in his career that he rushed for 1,000 yards in a season. 49ers wideout Anquan Boldin caught a 76-yard touchdown pass, giving him over 1,000 yards receiving for the year. This was the last game coached by 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, as he and the 49ers front office mutually agreed to cut ties after the game.

## Standings
### Division

NFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Seattle Seahawks | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | 394 | 254 | W6 |
| $^{(5)}$ Arizona Cardinals | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 310 | 299 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 7–5 | 306 | 340 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 324 | 354 | L3 |

### Conference

NFCviewtalkedit :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .525 | .513 | W6 |
| 2 | Green Bay Packers | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .482 | .440 | W2 |
| 3 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .445 | .422 | W4 |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers | South | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .490 | .357 | W4 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .523 | .477 | L2 |
| 6 | Detroit Lions | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .471 | .392 | L1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .490 | .416 | W1 |
| 8 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .527 | .508 | W1 |
| 9 | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .486 | .415 | W1 |
| 10 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 6–6 | .475 | .308 | W1 |
| 11 | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .512 | .323 | L1 |
| 12 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5–1 | 6–6 | .482 | .380 | L1 |
| 13 | St. Louis Rams | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .531 | .427 | L3 |
| 14 | Chicago Bears | North | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .529 | .338 | L5 |
| 15 | Washington Redskins | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .496 | .422 | L1 |
| 16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .486 | .469 | L6 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 3 Seattle, Green Bay and Dallas were ranked in seeds 1–3 based on conference record. 1 2 Arizona defeated Detroit head-to-head (Week 11, 14–6). 1 2 New Orleans defeated Minnesota head-to-head (Week 3, 20–9). 1 2 3 The NY Giants defeated both Atlanta and St. Louis head-to-head (Atlanta: Week 5, 30–20; St. Louis: Week 16, 37–27), while Atlanta finished ahead of St. Louis based on conference record. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||

## Levi's Stadium parking issues

In November 2013, Levi's Stadium and 49ers officials initially requested the NFL not to schedule any weekday home games during the preseason or regular season – including Monday and Thursday Night Football – during Levi's Stadium's inaugural season, due to parking issues in the Santa Clara area during weekdays. Two months later (January 2014), the Santa Clara City Council approved a two-year deal with the Santa Clara Golf & Tennis Club that would have opened up 10,000 additional parking spaces within walking distance of Levi's Stadium, as well as reimbursed the club $250,000 for each year, enabling the team to host Monday and Thursday night games for both the 2014 and 2015 seasons. However, the NFL decided not to schedule any weeknight prime-time games at Levi's Stadium during the 2014 season, with the exception of the Week 13 Thanksgiving game, until traffic flow within the area was figured out.