For the first time all season, the 49ers notched back to back victories with a 24-14 win over the visiting New York Jets, having defeated the Buffalo Bills on the road a week ago.
Quarterback Shaun Hill improved to 3-2 on the year as a starter, completing 28 of 39 passes for 285 yards with two touchdowns and one interception for a 98.8 QB Rating.
Jets quarterback Brett Favre didn't quitte have the success that Hill did, managing only 137 yards passing, a rushing touchdown and an interception in the loss.
It was also a rough day for the Jets run game. Thomas Jones enjoyed a 17-yard touchdown run, but was held to just 56 total yards on 10 carries.
Running back Frank Gore started off strong with 52 yards on 14 carries and a 4-yard touchdown reception, but then exited the game early in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Backup DeShaun Foster stepped up in his place, and contributed to an offense that possessed the ball for nearly forty minutes.
4th QUARTER SCORING
The 49ers recaptured a 17-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after a 32-yard field goal by kicker Joe Nedney, which finished off a 12-play, 47-yard scoring drive. Michael Robinson set the offense up out at their 39-yardline after his 34-yard kickoff return, but the offense twice had to overcome holding penalties on a drive that got all the way down to the Jets 14-yardline. The second holding penalty proved to be more costly as it negated a 28-yard touchdown pass from Shaun Hill to Delanie Walker.
The 49ers increased their lead over the Jets to a 10-point margin with 6:05 left in the game on a 3-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Shaun Hill to Bryant Johnson. The 10-play drive covered 51 yards and was set up by a 19-yard punt return by Arnaz Battle.
The Jets had two final drives to try and do something offensively to get back into the game, but cornerback Walt Harris picked off Brett Favre deep, followed by solid pressure to end the game.
3rd QUARTER SCORING
The Jets again evened the game in the third quarter at 14-14 with a 17-yard touchdown run by Thomas Jones. The Jets offense enjoyed a short field after an interception by David Bowens that he returned 52 yards to the 49ers 45-yardline, needing just four plays to tie the game with 5:24 to go in the third period.
2nd QUARTER SCORING
Quarterback Brett Favre finished off a 9-play, 61-yard scoring drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Favre initially rolled out to his right for a play-action pass, but when he didn't find an open target, he scrambled his way into the end zone for the score, tying the game at 7-7 with 7:17 left in the second quarter.
With 46 seconds left in the first half, the 49ers regained a 14--7 lead after Shaun Hill's 4-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gore. The 14-play drive covered 74 yards and included a critical 4th and 1 run play back at the 49ers 47-yardline that Gore converted on with a 3-yard run out to the left side of the 49ers line. Tight end Vernon Davis had the longest play of the drive with a 20-yard reception from Hill at the Jets 30-yardline. Isaac Bruce also enjoyed a 19-yard pass play to set the 49ers up at the 8-yardline.
1st QUARTER SCORING
The 49ers gained a 7-0 lead with 2:16 left in the first quarter. Shaun Hill completed six of six passes to drive his until 76 yards in eight plays. His final pass went to Jason Hill who caught the ball inside the two and then fumbled as he fought to get into the end zone for the score. Fortunately tackle Joe Staley recovered Hill's fumble in the end zone for the touchdown. Wide receiver Dominique Zeigler had a key 31-yard grab on the drive.
PREGAME NOTES
Nate Clements' 124 consecutive game streak, which includes 116 straight starts, ended today as the 49ers starting cornerback is on the inactive list.
Clements suffered a hairline fracture in last Sunday's win over Buffalo, and missed the week of practice after having screws and a pin inserted into his thumb on Tuesday.
Cornerback Donald Strickland started in place of Clements.
