Joe Nedney converted a 27-yard last-second field goal as the San Francisco 49ers edged the Arizona Cardinals 30-27 in their season opener. Shaun Hill bounced back from a late interception that set up Arizona's game-tying field goal, leading the team downfield in the final minute with a couple of long completions. The Cards' hard-hitting defense forced the Niners to win the game through the air. Hill connected on 24 of his 36 passes, racking up 266 yards.
While being held to only 76 yards on the ground, RB Frank Gore contributed to the Niners' passing attack, connecting on a HB pass that TE Vernon Davis took 79 yards to the house to give San Francisco a ten-point lead at the start of the second half. After putting the ball into Edgerrin James' hands a lot in the first half, the Cardinals highly-touted air attack struck twice in the second half as Kurt Warner connected on deep TD passes to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. The 49ers seemed to have the game in the wraps, up by three and trying to run down the clock with less than three minutes to go. They caught a lucky break when DeShaun Foster recovered a fumble by Gore. But just a few plays later, Hill forced a throw downfield under heavy pressure and got picked for the second time in the game, putting the Cards in position to win the game. The Niners defense was able to hold them to a field goal, though, and gave Hill the chance to orchestrate a game-winning drive with just over a minute to go.
