San Francisco forces 5 turnovers in rout of Arizona

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO

Alex Smith emerged from the pelting rain with his jersey soaked, cleats tattered with chunks of mud and the tape around his ankles stuck to his damp skin.

Never looked better in a 49ers uniform.

Through seven years of boos and banter, losses and letdowns and a series of injury setbacks, Smith walked off the field on a soggy Sunday at Candlestick Park guaranteed of a winning season for the first time in his NFL career.

And it’s only Week 11.

Smith threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns and the San Francisco 49ers forced five turnovers to blow past the Arizona Cardinals 23-7, moving closer to clinching the NFC West in near record-setting fashion.

“You chase perfection like that, you’re never going to be perfect but it doesn’t change your mindset,” said Smith, the 2005 No. 1 overall pick out of Utah. “It’s certainly not like we’re making all the plays out there, and today was evidence of that. We left a lot out there.”

Smith tossed scores to Kyle Williams and Vernon Davis on the first two drives of the third quarter to help the 49ers pull away for their eighth straight victory. San Francisco (9-1) could wrap up the NFC West with a win at Baltimore on Thursday and a loss by Seattle against Washington next weekend.

“You come to the point where you just can’t always concede the last shove, ” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Donte Whitner, Patrick Willis and Dashon Goldson all intercepted passes by John Skelton. The quarterback for the Cardinals (3-7) lost for the first time in three starts this season in place of the injured Kevin Kolb.

The conditions turned out to be just perfect for San Francisco’s style.

With a chilly rainstorm pelting the Bay Area since Saturday, the 49ers defense bullied and bruised Arizona all over a slick field. The Cardinals converted only two first downs in the first half and didn’t make it past midfield until late in the third quarter.

“Their thing is keep the game close, don’t give up no big touchdowns and then get three points and three points, maybe get a score,” Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said “And that’s how they win the game.”