NFL 49ers will stick with Garcia at QB Sunday vs. Cardinals

Coach Dennis Erickson said Jeff Garcia gives the 49ers their best shot.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Despite a passer rating of 18.8 in Sunday's 44-6 loss to the Ravens in Baltimore, Jeff Garcia will remain the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback for this Sunday's home game against the Arizona Cardinals.
"He is our best chance to win," said 49ers coach Dennis Erickson, whose team still has a long shot for the playoffs despite being winless on the road. "There were a lot of others involved in that loss."
Erickson cited poor route running by his wide receivers and inadequate protection for the offense's struggles.
"Their defense is good, but that was a game that you could not turn the ball over," Erickson said Tuesday.
Garcia completed 12 of 29 passes for 112 yards and threw four interceptions, all on tipped passes. Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis returned one of them for a touchdown in the closing seconds before halftime.
Backup Tim Rattay, who went 2-1 when Garcia sat out most of November recovering from a high ankle sprain, replaced Garcia in the second half.
Production clause
Erickson said he plans to stick with Garcia as long as there's production.
What's surprising about Sunday's loss -- the Niners' sixth on the road -- is how close the game was until the final two minutes of the first half.
Todd Peterson's 40-yard field goal 3:20 before intermission cut the Ravens' lead to 7-6.
But after Matt Stover booted a 28-yard field goal with 1:57 to go, the Ravens pounced on two Niners turnovers for two touchdowns in 14 seconds.
Even though the Cardinals (3-9) are out of the NFC playoff picture and the Niners' chances are on life support, Erickson plans to stick with his starters.
"We need a win," Erickson said. "We need to get one and then go out and try and get one more. These guys are embarrassed. And we still have a mathematical chance [playoff spot]."
Trail Rams by 4
With four games to play, the Niners, which are owned by John and Denise DeBartolo York of Canfield, trail the NFC West Division-leading St. Louis Rams (9-3) by four games.
The Niners have a slightly better chance in the wild-card race -- the leaders are the 8-4 Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys. But they would have to leapfrog the 6-6 Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.
To remain in contention, the Niners must beat the Cardinals, then win their final two road games -- Dec. 14 at Cincinnati against the 7-5 Bengals and Dec. 21 in Philadelphia against the 9-3 Eagles.
Hearst is injured
They'll have to do it without starting tailback Garrison Hearst, who tore the meniscus in the right knee in Sunday's second quarter.
The Niners' leading rusher (768 yards, three touchdowns) needs surgery, so third-year back Kevan Barlow (591 yards on 121 carries) will be the featured back.
"It will be interesting to see what Kevan can do when he's the [go-to] guy instead of alternating on every other series," Erickson said.
A successful December for Barlow could spell the end of the 32-year-old Hearst's time in San Francisco.
williams@vindy.com