WEEK 1

49ERS 33, SEAHAWKS 17

Alex Smith was hardly spectacular with 124 passing yards and no touchdowns, but Ted Ginn certainly was, returning a kickoff 102 yards and later a 55-yard punt return - all in the fourth quarter - for Jim Harbaugh's first win.

WEEK 2

COWBOYS 27, 49ERS 24 (OT)

This one stung then and now with a gimpy Tony Romo keying a Dallas rally for the game's final 13 points. San Francisco received two touchdown passes from Smith but only 47 rushing yards from Frank Gore.

WEEK 3

49ERS 13, BENGALS 8

San Francisco grinded out a slugfest, with David Akers kicking two field goals, including a 53-yarder, for Harbaugh's first road win. He told his team after the game, "It's always in doubt until it's not in doubt. ... We've got something special that can be brewing here."

WEEK 4

49ERS 24, EAGLES 23

San Francisco staged a furious rally, scoring the final three touchdowns with Smith hitting Josh Morgan for a 30-yard touchdown and Vernon Davis for a nine-yarder and Gore winning it with a 12-yard run for a two-game lead in the NFC West. Said Harbaugh, "It's like going to the dentist. The guys haven't flinched or gotten scared."

WEEK 5

49ERS 48, BUCCANEERS 3

Smith fired three touchdown passes, two to Davis, and Gore churned for 125 yards and a score for the club's largest margin of victory since blasting the Los Angeles Rams 48-0 in 1987. It matched Tampa Bay's worst loss ever.

WEEK 6

49ERS 25, LIONS 19

Akers made field goals of 55, 31, and 37 yards, Aldon Smith tackled Matt Stafford in the end zone for a safety and Gore had a touchdown run, but the real fireworks came when Harbaugh nearly buckled Lions coach Jim Schwartz with a postgame handshake, prompting him to frantically chase after Harbaugh.

WEEK 7

Bye

WEEK 8

49ERS 20, BROWNS 10

Gore became one of four players to rush for 125 yards or more in four consecutive games since 1970, and he passed Roger Craig for second all-time on the 49ers' career rushing list with a 134-yard effort. And no postgame handshake drama here, either. Harbaugh said he practiced high-fiving all week with toddler daughter Addison, whom he carried out of the stadium after this game.

WEEK 9

49ERS 19, REDSKINS 11

Gore rushed for 107 yards, his franchise-record fifth consecutive 100-yard effort, and Akers had four field goals for San Francisco's sixth successive win. Gore wore a dark green military-style jacket, green cargo pants and designer jewel-encrusted dog tags after the game.

WEEK 10

49ERS 27, GIANTS 20

Akers booted four field goals and had a surprise onside kick, and Alex Smith led another rally as San Francisco got off to its best start since 1997. Justin Smith batted down a late Eli Manning pass to seal the win. Later, Harbaugh said, "I don't deserve any credit. It's these men - these mighty, strong men."

WEEK 11

49ERS 23, CARDINALS 7

Smith passed for 267 yards and two touchdowns, and San Francisco forced five turnovers in a soggy, wet affair at Candlestick for its eighth consecutive win. Patrick Willis, Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson all had interceptions.

WEEK 12

RAVENS 16, 49ERS 6

Despite not having All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis, Baltimore tied a franchise record with nine sacks in the "Har-bowl" matchup featuring the first NFL meeting between head coaching brothers. Smith passed for just 140 yards, and San Francisco had its eight-game winning streak halted.

WEEK 13

49ERS 26, RAMS 0

Gore tried to ease his anxious coach's nerves in the days leading up to this NFC West-clinching effort, saying, "Coach, we got this." Said Harbaugh after the 49ers won to clinch the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2002, "I believed him. I trusted him." Gore became the franchise career rushing leader with 73 yards for 7,417 yards to pass late Hall of Famer Joe Perry, and Smith tossed two touchdown passes.

WEEK 14

CARDINALS 21, 49ERS 19

San Francisco was skunked by a backup quarterback in John Skelton, who threw three touchdown passes in relief of Kevin Kolb, sidelined after an early blow to the head. Said Harbaugh, "We didn't get it done. We look forward to seeing how our team responds to adversity. We haven't had a lot of it this year."

WEEK 15

49ERS 20, STEELERS 3

The lights went out twice at Candlestick Park on this Monday night, but nothing dimmed San Francisco's spirit as they picked off Ben Roethlisberger three times and sacked him three times. The 49ers set an NFL record by starting the season with a 14th consecutive game without yielding a rushing touchdown. Said Alex Smith, "Defense played lights out. No pun intended."

WEEK 16

49ERS 19, SEAHAWKS 17

Akers boomed four field goals to give him an NFL single-season record 42 to eliminate Seattle from the postseason chase. San Francisco rallied late, taking the lead with an Akers 39-yard kick with 2:57 to go before Whitner recovered a fumble two minutes later to seal the win. Several 49ers coaches raced through the press box on their way down to the field, hollering, "Merry Christmas, everybody!"

WEEK 17

49ERS 34, RAMS 27

Not only can Akers kick, he can pass, too. Akers hit Michael Crabtree for a 14-yard touchdown on a fake field-goal attempt as San Francisco locked up the NFC's No. 2 playoff seed and a first-round bye despite nearly blowing a 21-point fourth-quarter lead.

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

49ERS 36, SAINTS 32

The best way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "The Catch" was to make "The Grab," which Davis did with nine seconds left in the game. The 49ers went for the late touchdown instead of going for a tying field goal to stun the Saints, who thought they had it won just moments earlier on a Drew Brees touchdown pass. Said Davis, who wept on the shoulder of Harbaugh as time ran out, "This is huge for us. It's history, legendary, anything you can describe."

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.