It was over when ...
Tully Banta-Cain dove on Kurt Warner's fumble in the end zone for touchdown in overtime. The Cardinals made too many mistakes in OT, starting with a delay-of-game penalty that nullified Neil Racker's apparent game-winning field goal. The Cardinals held the 49ers on the next possession, but Steve Breaston fielded a punt inside the 5-yard line. That decision, combined with a block-in-the-back penalty, pushed the Cardinals deep in their own territory, forcing Warner to throw from his own end zone.
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| Stephen Dunn / Getty Images |
| Kurt Warner passed for nearly 500 yards, but it wasn't enough to lift the Cardinals. |
Game ball
The 49ers' Patrick Willis ran down Sean Morey on a 62-yard reception in overtime. Morey looked like he had a clean shot at the end zone but was caught from behind by the middle linebacker. If Willis doesn't make that play, Morey could have possibly scored. Willis led the team with 18 tackles (17 solo and one assist).
Key stat
The 49ers got the ball to Frank Gore, who touched the ball 32 times, and he responded with 214 total yards and a pair of touchdowns. Gore's performance gave breathing room to Trent Dilfer, who passed for 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Noteworthy
The 49ers ended an eight-game losing streak. ... Four of the Cardinals' losses have been decided by three points or less. ... This was Warner's first loss to the 49ers; he was previously 7-0 against them as a starter.
