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Kurtenbach: The 49ers were nowhere near their best against the Rams. The fact that they still won speaks volumes

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

The 49ers’ Week 1 win was perfection.Their Week 2 win was gritty.And while everyone prefers the first option, the second might tell us more about the 2023 Niners.San Francisco knew that not every game this season would be as easy as the opening win against the Steelers. How could they be?No, this league is too good. The competition is too tough. Most games this season will resemble Sunday’s choppy, chippy 30-23 victory over the Rams in front of a partisan crowd in Los Angeles. (Partisan for the Niners, that is.)And yet, even in a game where the 49ers missed so many opportunities, they were still far and away the better team on the field Sunday.If Niners quarterback Brock Purdy had simply connected on one of the three wide-open deep pass opportunities he overthrew Sunday, this contest would have been a blowout.But he missed on all three and wasn’t good on third downs, where the team was just 2-of-9. Meanwhile, the 49ers defense started the game on the back foot, and...

Photos: Cal defeats Idaho with 31 unanswered points after trailing 17-0

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

The Bears came back from a 17-0 Vandals lead to grab a 31-17 win over the nation’s fifth-ranked FCS team in front of 36,810 fans at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.Cal’s Ashton Stredick rushed for 77 yards. CAl quarterback Sam Jackson V rushed for 41 yards and connected with Jeremiah Hunter and Trond Grizzell for two touchdown passes in the first half.Cal will face No. 8 Washington next Saturday as they play their last season in the Pac-12.Cal’s Jeremiah Hunter (3) scores on a touchdown against Idaho during the second quarter of their game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) Idaho’s Anthony Woods (5) slams into Cal’s Lu-Magia Hearns III (15) to score a touchdown during the first quarter of their game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) Cal’s Jeremiah Hunter (3) leaps to catch a touchdown pass against Idaho duri...

What the 49ers are saying after beating the Rams

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

The 49ers are 2-0 before their first home game of the 2023 season.They beat the Rams 30-23 on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, using two second-half interceptions to win a tight game against their division rivals.Brock Purdy finished 17-of-25 passing without a touchdown or an interception. Christian McCaffrey rushed for 116 yards on 20 attempts, while Deebo Samuel made six catches for 63 yards and added a touchdown on a quick screen that was technically counted as a run.Those two interceptions came from cornerbacks Isaiah Oliver, who made a juggling catch on a deflected pass inside 49ers’ territory, and Deommodore Lenoir, who jumped a route in the fourth quarter to stop a potential game-tying drive before it got started.The Niners turned both interceptions into field goals on the ensuing possessions, as rookie Jake Moody made all three of his attempts, including a 57-yarder.Here’s what Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers had to say after the game:INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SE...

A double shot of whiskey, Barbie dress-up day and a much-needed win leave SF Giants in good spirits, despite lackluster series vs. Rockies

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

DENVER — A paper cup filled to the brim with brown liquid sat next to the porterhouse covered in tin foil on the desk inside the visiting manager’s office here Sunday afternoon. It’s a tradition of Joc Pederson’s to pour Gabe Kapler and his teammates a shot of whiskey after a win.“He was like, ‘You need a double today,’ ” Kapler said after the Giants emerged victorious, barely, 11-10, over the Rockies, in a Coors Field special that allowed them to escape this four-game series with one victory and their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. “It’s gonna be useful.”Between the win, the whiskey and the Brandon Crawford-Ross Stripling devised Barbie movie dress-up day, the Giants boarded their charter flight in good spirits, despite their once lights-out closer very nearly wasting their best offensive showing in ages.Crawford’s three-run homer into the Rockies bullpen should have been a knockout punch, the biggest blow of an ...

Acclaimed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami launches first solo exhibit at Asian Art Museum in SF

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A globally-acclaimed Japanese artist has opened up a new exhibit at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Takashi Murakami's first solo exhibition in the Bay Area opened on Friday, the artist posted on Instagram. The "Murakami: Monsterized" exhibit will be open from Sept. 15 until Feb. 12, 2024. "The larger-than-life paintings and sculptures in 'Murakami: Monsterized' use monsters as a central motif to address the complicated nature of the world around us," the Asian Art Museum said on its website. Autumn Moon Festival in SF returns Sept. 23 Tickets, which range from $29-$35, can be purchased for a 30-minute timeslot to check out the art. The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dates for when you can check out the exhibit vary.Murakami, 61, has over 2 million followers on Instagram. He is one of the most widely-known artists from Japan. The Tokyo-based artist has collaborated with Louis Vuitton on a number of handbag designs. Much of Murakami'...

Hayward PD seeking hit-and-run driver in fatal three-vehicle collision

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

(BCN) -- Police in Hayward are seeking the driver of a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run early Sunday morning. At about 12:50 a.m., officers responded to a report of a hit-and-run collision involving three vehicles near the 27000 block of Huntwood Avenue. Police found two vehicles, two drivers and one passenger still at the scene. The sole occupant of the first vehicle was uninjured, but the driver of the second vehicle was found unconscious and injured. Medical personnel arrived and pronounced the man dead. A passenger in his car was uninjured. Oakland mother killed after being struck by stray bullet while asleep The driver of the third vehicle fled the scene before police could arrive, though officers located the empty vehicle a short distance from the scene. Police are investigating but are encouraging anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has any other information to contact the traffic bureau at (510) 293-7066. Copyright © 2023 Bay ...

Cardinals allow big rally by Giants, blow chance for first win with coach Gannon, QB Dobbs

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals were nearly flawless in the first half, moving the ball with ease, stuffing the New York Giants at just about every turn.An easy home-opening win appeared to be in the cards.The second half rolled around and Arizona’s offense bogged down, the defense backpedaled.A winning hand turned into an epic flop, and Arizona failed to get its first win under new coach Jonathan Gannon and stopgap quarterback Joshua Dobbs.Dominating early, the Cardinals blew a 21-point third-quarter lead and left the field stunned after Graham Gano hit a 34-yard field goal with 19 seconds left to send the Giants a 31-28 win on Sunday.“Exactly what we couldn’t do, coming out of halftime we did,” Gannon said. Coming off a four-point road loss to Washington, the Cardinals (0-2) played a superb first half against the Giants (1-1).Arizona’s defense bottled up Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, holding New York to 71 first-half yards. Dobbs looked like a sta...

Dodgers keep rolling with 6-1 win against Mariners, one day after winning NL West

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Jason Heyward, Austin Barnes and James Outman homered to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-1 win against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.Heyward also had a double, single and two RBIs to finish 8 for 14 with four doubles and a home run in the three-game series.“Right now he’s on a heater. He’s swinging the bat so well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s playing Gold Glove defense, offensively he’s a threat, and he had a huge series.”Amed Rosario was a homer shy of the cycle as the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep one day after clinching the NL West title.J.P. Crawford had two hits and drove in the only run for the Mariners, who have lost seven of nine in the midst of a playoff race.Seattle fell 2 1/2 games behind first-place Houston in the AL West, and is a game behind Texas for the final American League wild card.The Dodgers had several of their regulars out of the lineup after clinching the division with an extra-inning win Saturday night. Even so, Los A...

Love takes blame for crucial botched quarterback sneak in Packers’ 25-24 loss to Falcons

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur wanted to blame crowd noise for a failed fourth-and-1 sneak by Jordan Love that opened the door for Atlanta’s go-ahead touchdown drive.It turns out LaFleur was just being kind, trying to take his young quarterback off the hook following Sunday’s 25-24 loss to the Falcons. Love was more blunt, saying he deserved blame for the the failed sneak because he didn’t correctly call the play from the Green Bay 34 with the Packers leading 24-22 in the fourth quarter. Love tried to call for the sneak but didn’t get the snap when expected and took off on the plunge without the ball. Green Bay was penalized for a false start and had to punt, setting up Atlanta’s go-ahead drive capped by Younghoe Koo’s 25-yard field goal with 57 seconds remaining.“Yeah, just messed up the operation with the cadence on that one,” Love said. “Not everybody got the call to get the sneak, so I messed that operation up right there.”Added L...

Soto’s 2 homers lead Padres to 1st 4-game winning streak and 10-1 win over Athletics

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:00:23 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Juan Soto homered twice, including his first career grand slam, and the San Diego Padres won their fourth straight game for the first time this season, beating the Oakland Athletics 10-1 on Sunday to sweep the series.The Padres had been the only team in the major leagues this season to not have a win streak of over three games. Their success resulted in another dubious mark for the A’s, whose 103 losses this season are the most in franchise history since 1979.For San Diego manager Bob Melvin, fighting off playoff elimination with a few weeks left in the season means needing more than just four wins in a row. The Padres are six games back in the NL wild card race with 12 games to play.“We have to win them,” Melvin said. “It’s probably going to come down to that.”Soto hit a two-run drive in the seventh and the grand slam in the next inning to blow the game open and give him 32 homers on the year, two shy of his career-high set in 2019 with the Nationals.“It feel...