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@@@ Known in his playing days as 鈥淐aptain Comeback,鈥?Jim Harbaugh isn鈥檛 exactly enamored with the come-from-behind method his 49ers have used to win each of their past three games.
Their latest comeback came Monday night, when they recovered from a 14-0 hole, scored 24 consecutive points and finished off the host Rams 31-17. Leading the charge were Colin Kaepernick鈥檚 three touchdown passes and a makeshift defense that overcame Patrick Willis鈥?concerning exit to a toe injury.
鈥淚 like the get-ahead, stay-ahead formula first,鈥?Harbaugh quipped in the locker room. 鈥淚 much prefer that.鈥? Since coughing up second-half leads in losses to the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers (4-2) have rallied after halftime in three straight games, moving them a half-game behind NFC West leader Arizona (4-1) and a half-game ahead of Seattle (3-2).
The 49ers sustained several casualties amid this comeback: Willis (toe), nickel back Jimmie Ward (quadriceps), left guard Mike Iupati (concussion) and wide receiver Stevie Johnson (right hip). None returned after getting injured, and Willis鈥?could be the most severe; the defense鈥檚 co-captain has taken every snap this season.
Comebacks aren鈥檛 new to Harbaugh, and not just from his quarterback days. In his first season as 49ers coach, four wins came via fourth-quarter comebacks, including two that launched an eight-game win streak.
鈥淲e had some mistakes early, some adversity early, but our guys really showed championship character,鈥?Harbaugh said.
Stymied early by the Rams鈥?league-leading pass defense, the 49ers began their comeback with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Kaepernick to Brandon Lloyd only 14 seconds before halftime, cutting the Rams鈥?lead to 14-10.
鈥淭he ball landed right in my lap,鈥?said Lloyd, who broke past Janoris Jenkins鈥?coverage and made the catch in stride down the left sideline.
It was the longest completion of Kaepernick鈥檚 career, and it came on a bold call considering the 49ers were at their own 20 and could have let the first half expire.
鈥淲e took our shot and Colin made a perfect throw, (on) a really good play call, and Brandon made a double move on an excellent route,鈥?Harbaugh said.
It sparked Kaepernick鈥檚 first three-touchdown game since last Nov. 25 at Washington, and his first 300-yard passing outing since a Dec. 29, regular-season finale win at Arizona. He was 22-of-36 for 343 yards with no interceptions, no sacks and a 120.5 passer rating. He鈥檚 now 4-0 as a starter on 鈥淢onday Night Football.鈥? 鈥淚t was a momentum swing for us,鈥?Kaepernick said of the bomb to Lloyd. 鈥淚t gave us the opportunity to have a go-ahead drive coming out at half.鈥? The 49ers indeed seized the lead by coming out of halftime with an 80-yard touchdown drive, culminated by Kaepernick鈥檚 11-yard scoring strike to Anquan Boldin on third-and-1. The crazy thing about that play: left tackle Joe Staley was supposed the primary receiver, only he got tackled by defensive end Robert Quinn.
鈥淚t was wide open. It would have been a Monday Night celebration,鈥?Staley said. 鈥淚 had a great dance and everything.鈥? Kaepernick improvised in stellar fashion, scrambling to find Boldin in the back of the end zone on a pass that even caught Harbaugh by surprise. Kaepernick鈥檚 final touchdown pass went to 聽Michael Crabtree for a 32-yard connection that spiked the lead to 24-14 lead with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Rams鈥?late hopes were kept afloat after the 49ers failed to convert twice on fourth-and-1 鈥?including once at the Rams鈥?1. Greg Zuerlein鈥檚 38-yard field goal pulled the Rams within 24-17 with 2:24 remaining, sparking memories of their 2012 home comeback win over the 49ers.
鈥淲e obviously didn鈥檛 want to start the way we did,鈥?Staley said. 鈥淕reat job by our defense buckling down after those early touchdowns. They played fantastic the rest of the game.鈥? The 49ers defense gave up two touchdown drives on the Rams鈥?first three possessions. Even after Willis鈥?exit and rookie Chris Borland鈥檚 defensive debut, fierce pressure produced five sacks against Austin Davis (21-of-42, 236 yards, one touchdown).
鈥淚t鈥檚 a steady, collapsing-the-pocket type of power-rushing defense,鈥?Rams coach Jeff Fisher said.
Rookie Donte Johnson preserved the win with a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown with 53 seconds remaining.
鈥淲e stuck with it, played hard and didn鈥檛 give up,鈥?Johnson said of the latest comeback. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy we got the win and now have to prepare for a great opponent next.鈥?
The 49ers next play another prime-time game on the road: Sunday night at the Denver Broncos (4-1). Asked if he鈥檚 looking forward to facing Peyton Manning, Kaepernick replied: 鈥淥f course.鈥?p>Related Articles:</p>- <a href=http://www.buycelinebags.com/celine-doctor-frame-42>Celine Doctor Frame Bags</a>
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