Alex Smith went 6-for-6 and capped off the 49ers 10-play, 77-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Crabtree to give the San Francisco 49ers a 7-0 lead over the Arizona Cardinals after one quarter of play on Monday night.
The Niners continued to play their brand of smashmouth football and bait the Cardinals into stacking the box. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter combined to carry the ball 11 times for a total of 67 yards on the ground.
Their relentless commitment to the running game is what allowed Smith to hit tight end Delanie Walker with a perfect 23-yard strike to set up the score.
Arizona began the game with promise when the first play of the game netted the Cardinals 24 yards on a screen pass from John Skelton to LaRod Stephens-Howling. The 49ers defense managed to induce a quick thee-and-out following the big play and would hold Arizona to just 22 total yards in the first quarter.