The San Francisco 49ers rolled to a fifth consecutive victory this weekend behind another outstanding performance by running back Frank Gore. They beat the Cleveland Browns 20-10 to push their record to 6-1, one game behind the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, and the only 1-loss team in the NFC.
Gore carried the ball 31 times for 134 yards and a touchdown, and the game marks the fourth consecutive 125-plus-yards and 1-or-more-touchdown performance by Gore, putting him in pretty elite company. He is now tied with Terrell Davis, who also had four consecutive games in 1998, and is one game behind the record of five consecutive games held by O.J. Simpson (1975) and Larry Johnson (2005).
Gore also passed legendary 49ers running back Roger Craig for second place on the 49ers career rushing list in the game.
“It’s a blessing to have my name mentioned next to his,” Gore said. “This last year, we got to be close. When I got hurt, he called me every day. He was telling me I was going to be all right, to keep working.”
The win was what has been typical of Harbaugh’s 49ers this years – tough defense, punishing running attack, and just a hint of a passing game. Alex Smith was 15 of 24 for 177 yards. The 49ers defense registered 4 sacks, 1 INT, 1 fumble recover and forced a total of 5 fumbles (4 from Browns QB Colt McCoy), although the Browns recovered the other four.
“Not perfect, but beautiful,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. The 49ers are off to their first 6-1 start, when they had Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens on the team. Beautiful, indeed.
