Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers: 2011 Week 11 Recap

Game story

In Week 11 of the 2011 NFL season on 2011-11-20, the San Francisco 49ers took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 23–7 final that controlled the game from start to finish.

The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

A. Smith (San Francisco 49ers) paced the passing game, with +7.58 total EPA, and -8.6% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, A. Smith (San Francisco 49ers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +7.58 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (-15.8% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Arizona Cardinals changed the game: (9:34) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short left intended for 12-A.Roberts INTERCEPTED by 52-P.Willis (25-T.Brown) at ARI 48. 52-P.Willis to ARI 38 for 10 yards (75-L.Brown).

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 A. Smith · San Francisco 49ers · Passing · +7.58 total EPA · 44 snaps · +0.17 EPA/play
2. 2 K. Williams · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +7.02 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.40 EPA/play
3. 3 M. Crabtree · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +4.46 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.45 EPA/play
4. 4 C. Taylor · Arizona Cardinals · Rushing · +2.46 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.46 EPA/play
5. 5 R. Bartel · Arizona Cardinals · Passing · +1.93 total EPA · 19 snaps · +0.10 EPA/play
6. 6 R. Maui'a · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.20 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.20 EPA/play
7. 7 K. Hunter · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +1.00 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.00 EPA/play
8. 8 D. Sampson · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +0.48 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• San Francisco 49ers — K. Williams (Q3 22:17)
• San Francisco 49ers — V. Davis (Q3 19:18)
• Arizona Cardinals — L. Fitzgerald (R. Bartel pass) (Q4 8:44)

Field goals

• San Francisco 49ers — D. Akers (Q1 48:13)
• San Francisco 49ers — D. Akers (Q1 47:10)
• San Francisco 49ers — D. Akers (Q2 31:01)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The opening quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 6–0. San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the ARI 4 (Q1 48:13) — (3:13) 2-D.Akers 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.; San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the ARI 25 (Q1 47:10) — (2:10) 2-D.Akers 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee..

The second quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 3–0. San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the ARI 11 (Q2 31:01) — (1:01) 2-D.Akers 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee..

The third quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 14–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the ARI 8 (Q3 22:17) — (7:17) 11-Alex Smith pass short left to 10-K.Williams for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught at ARI 1. 1-yd YAC; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q3 22:12) — 2-D.Akers extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.; San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the ARI 18 (Q3 19:18) — (4:18) 11-Alex Smith pass deep right to 85-V.Davis for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught at ARI 0. 0-yds YAC; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q3 19:14) — 2-D.Akers extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee..

The fourth quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 7–0. Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the SF 23 (Q4 8:44) — (8:44) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 2-R.Bartel pass deep middle to 11-L.Fitzgerald for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals added 1 points from the SF 2 (Q4 8:38) — 3-J.Feely extra point is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• Arizona Cardinals (Q1 54:34) — (9:34) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short left intended for 12-A.Roberts INTERCEPTED by 52-P.Willis (25-T.Brown) at ARI 48. 52-P.Willis to ARI 38 for 10 yards (75-L.Brown). [WPA -15.8% · EPA -5.41]
• Arizona Cardinals (Q1 48:10) — (3:10) 26-C.Wells right tackle to ARI 24 for 4 yards (91-R.McDonald). San Francisco challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 26-C.Wells right tackle to ARI 24 for 4 [WPA -10.7% · EPA -4.46]
• San Francisco 49ers (Q1 55:18) — (10:18) 2-D.Akers 46 yard field goal is BLOCKED (93-C.Campbell), Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee. [WPA -10.0% · EPA -2.86]
• San Francisco 49ers (Q1 53:17) — (8:17) 2-D.Akers 49 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee. [WPA -9.0% · EPA -2.67]
• San Francisco 49ers (Q1 58:04) — (13:04) (Shotgun) 11-Alex Smith pass deep left to 15-M.Crabtree pushed ob at ARI 43 for 38 yards (21-P.Peterson). Caught at ARI 47. 4-yds YAC [WPA +8.2% · EPA +3.70]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• San Francisco 49ers (Q3 16:21) — (1:21) 4-A.Lee punts 58 yards to ARI 21, Center-86-B.Jennings. 21-P.Peterson to ARI 31 for 10 yards (56-T.Gooden). FUMBLES (56-T.Gooden), RECOVERED by SF-53-N.Bowman at ARI 31. 53-N.Bowman to ARI 31 f [WPA +0.1% · EPA +5.57]
• Arizona Cardinals (Q1 54:34) — (9:34) (Shotgun) 19-J.Skelton pass short left intended for 12-A.Roberts INTERCEPTED by 52-P.Willis (25-T.Brown) at ARI 48. 52-P.Willis to ARI 38 for 10 yards (75-L.Brown). [WPA -15.8% · EPA -5.41]
• Arizona Cardinals (Q3 21:23) — (6:23) 19-J.Skelton pass deep middle intended for 11-L.Fitzgerald INTERCEPTED by 31-D.Whitner at SF 15. 31-D.Whitner to ARI 37 for 48 yards (26-C.Wells). [WPA -3.9% · EPA -5.05]
• Arizona Cardinals (Q1 48:10) — (3:10) 26-C.Wells right tackle to ARI 24 for 4 yards (91-R.McDonald). San Francisco challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 26-C.Wells right tackle to ARI 24 for 4 [WPA -10.7% · EPA -4.46]

Quarterback report card

A.Smith led all passers in efficiency for San Francisco 49ers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• A.Smith (San Francisco 49ers) · 44 dropbacks · 45.5% completion · -8.6% CPOE · +0.17 EPA/play · +7.58 total EPA
• J.Skelton (Arizona Cardinals) · 20 dropbacks · 30.0% completion · -28.4% CPOE · -0.90 EPA/play · -18.07 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

San Francisco 49ers held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (-0.01 vs -0.26), even if the scoreboard told a different story.

• Arizona Cardinals: 12 drives, -16.99 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
• San Francisco 49ers: 13 drives, -1.39 total EPA, 5 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• San Francisco 49ers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• A. Smith (San Francisco 49ers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• A. Smith (SF) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
• J. Skelton (ARI) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q1 48:13 · ARI 4 · Score 0-3
   (3:13) 2-D.Akers 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.
2. San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q1 47:10 · ARI 25 · Score 0-6
   (2:10) 2-D.Akers 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.
3. San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q2 31:01 · ARI 11 · Score 0-9
   (1:01) 2-D.Akers 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.
4. San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q3 22:17 · ARI 8 · Score 0-15
   (7:17) 11-Alex Smith pass short left to 10-K.Williams for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught at ARI 1. 1-yd YAC
5. San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q3 22:12 · ARI 2 · Score 0-16
   2-D.Akers extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.
6. San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q3 19:18 · ARI 18 · Score 0-22
   (4:18) 11-Alex Smith pass deep right to 85-V.Davis for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught at ARI 0. 0-yds YAC
7. San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q3 19:14 · ARI 2 · Score 0-23
   2-D.Akers extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-A.Lee.
8. Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q4 8:44 · SF 23 · Score 6-23
   (8:44) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 2-R.Bartel pass deep middle to 11-L.Fitzgerald for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
9. Arizona Cardinals XP (+1) — Q4 8:38 · SF 2 · Score 7-23
   3-J.Feely extra point is GOOD, Center-82-M.Leach, Holder-9-D.Zastudil.