Game story
In Week 16 of the 2002 NFL season on 2002-12-21, the San Francisco 49ers took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 17–14 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 10 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Garcia (San Francisco 49ers) paced the passing game, with +11.54 total EPA.
On the individual side, J. Garcia (San Francisco 49ers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +11.54 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-16.6% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Arizona Cardinals changed the game: (8:05) 31-M.Shipp up the middle to SF 15 for -6 yards (50-D.Smith, 91-C.Okeafor). FUMBLES (50-D.Smith), RECOVERED by SF-98-J.Peterson at SF 17. 98-J.Peterson to SF 20 for 3 yards (16-J.Plummer).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 J. Garcia · San Francisco 49ers · Passing · +11.54 total EPA · 42 snaps · +0.27 EPA/play
- 2 C. Wilson · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +5.40 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.08 EPA/play
- 3 K. Kasper · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +5.15 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.74 EPA/play
- 4 T. Streets · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +5.13 total EPA · 14 snaps · +0.37 EPA/play
- 5 F. Beasley · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +2.56 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.28 EPA/play
- 6 S. Bush · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.11 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.28 EPA/play
- 7 M. Shipp · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.02 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.20 EPA/play
- 8 G. Hearst · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +0.80 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.80 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
J. Garcia — SF · Passing
J. Garcia posted the highest total EPA (+11.54) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on San Francisco 49ers's efficiency. Across 42 counted snaps, they averaged +0.27 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.07 EPA) came from Arizona Cardinals: (8:05) 31-M.Shipp up the middle to SF 15 for -6 yards (50-D.Smith, 91-C.Okeafor). FUMBLES (50-D.Smith), RECOVERED by SF-98-J.Peterson at SF 17. 98-J.Peterson to SF 20 for 3 yards (16-J.Plummer).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- San Francisco 49ers — F. Beasley (J. Garcia pass)
- Arizona Cardinals — K. Kasper (J. Plummer pass)
- San Francisco 49ers — G. Hearst
- Arizona Cardinals — K. Kasper (J. Plummer pass)
Field goals
- San Francisco 49ers — J. Chandler
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 7–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the ARI 25 (Q1 55:04) — (10:04) 5-J.Garcia pass to 40-F.Beasley for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q1 54:57) — 3-J.Chandler extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur..
The second quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 7–3. Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the SF 4 (Q2 37:42) — (7:42) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals added 1 points from the SF 2 (Q2 37:37) — 7-B.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-10-S.Player.; San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the ARI 6 (Q2 30:49) — (:49) 3-J.Chandler 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur..
The third quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 7–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the ARI 8 (Q3 28:28) — (13:28) 20-G.Hearst right tackle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q3 28:22) — 3-J.Chandler extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur..
The fourth quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 7–0. Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the SF 6 (Q4 4:16) — (4:16) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals added 1 points from the SF 2 (Q4 4:08) — 7-B.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-10-S.Player..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 23:05) — (8:05) 31-M.Shipp up the middle to SF 15 for -6 yards (50-D.Smith, 91-C.Okeafor). FUMBLES (50-D.Smith), RECOVERED by SF-98-J.Peterson at SF 17. 98-J.Peterson to SF 20 for 3 yards (16-J.Plummer).
- Arizona Cardinals (Q1 47:33) — (2:33) 16-J.Plummer pass intended for 83-J.McAddley INTERCEPTED by 33-T.Parrish (29-A.Plummer) at SF 19. 33-T.Parrish to SF 47 for 28 yards (50-J.Starkey).
- San Francisco 49ers (Q4 2:41) — (2:41) 32-K.Barlow right tackle to ARI 32 for 9 yards (21-R.Hill, 53-M.Young).
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 25:01) — (10:01) (Shotgun) 16-J.Plummer pass to 31-M.Shipp to SF 26 for 15 yards (98-J.Peterson, 24-M.Rumph). PENALTY on SF-24-M.Rumph, 5 yards, enforced at SF 26.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q4 3:47) — (3:47) 5-J.Garcia pass to 83-J.Stokes to 50 for 21 yards (42-K.Lassiter).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 23:05) — (8:05) 31-M.Shipp up the middle to SF 15 for -6 yards (50-D.Smith, 91-C.Okeafor). FUMBLES (50-D.Smith), RECOVERED by SF-98-J.Peterson at SF 17. 98-J.Peterson to SF 20 for 3 yards (16-J.Plummer).
- Arizona Cardinals (Q1 47:33) — (2:33) 16-J.Plummer pass intended for 83-J.McAddley INTERCEPTED by 33-T.Parrish (29-A.Plummer) at SF 19. 33-T.Parrish to SF 47 for 28 yards (50-J.Starkey).
- San Francisco 49ers (Q1 48:32) — (3:32) 3-J.Chandler 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q3 16:04) — (1:04) 5-J.Garcia FUMBLES (Aborted) at ARI 19, RECOVERED by ARI-41-J.Lucas at ARI 17. 41-J.Lucas to ARI 17 for no gain (40-F.Beasley).
Quarterback report card
J.Garcia led all passers in efficiency for San Francisco 49ers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Garcia (San Francisco 49ers) · 42 dropbacks · 54.8% completion · +0.27 EPA/play · +11.54 total EPA
- J.Plummer (Arizona Cardinals) · 34 dropbacks · 47.1% completion · -0.05 EPA/play · -1.58 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | San Francisco 49ers | Arizona Cardinals |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.018 | -0.051 |
| Offensive success rate | 47.1% | 44.3% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.275 | -0.047 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.183 | -0.217 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.051 | -0.018 |
| Defensive success rate | 55.7% | 52.9% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, San Francisco 49ers generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.02 vs -0.05), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Arizona Cardinals: 10 drives, -3.55 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- San Francisco 49ers: 10 drives, +1.57 total EPA, 3 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.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- J. Garcia (San Francisco 49ers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q1 55:04 · ARI 25 · Score 6-0
(10:04) 5-J.Garcia pass to 40-F.Beasley for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q1 54:57 · ARI 2 · Score 7-0
3-J.Chandler extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q2 37:42 · SF 4 · Score 7-6
(7:42) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Arizona Cardinals XP (+1) — Q2 37:37 · SF 2 · Score 7-7
7-B.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-10-S.Player. - San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q2 30:49 · ARI 6 · Score 10-7
(:49) 3-J.Chandler 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur. - San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q3 28:28 · ARI 8 · Score 16-7
(13:28) 20-G.Hearst right tackle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q3 28:22 · ARI 2 · Score 17-7
3-J.Chandler extra point is GOOD, Center-86-B.Jennings, Holder-4-B.LaFleur. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q4 4:16 · SF 6 · Score 17-13
(4:16) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Arizona Cardinals XP (+1) — Q4 4:08 · SF 2 · Score 17-14
7-B.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-10-S.Player.
Frequently asked questions
Who won San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals?
The San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals 17-14 in Week 16, 2002 on 2002-12-21.
What was the final score of San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals?
The final score was San Francisco 49ers 17, Arizona Cardinals 14 (SF 17-14 ARI) in Week 16, 2002 on 2002-12-21.
What was the score by quarter in San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals?
Q1: San Francisco 49ers 7, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q2: San Francisco 49ers 3, Arizona Cardinals 7; Q3: San Francisco 49ers 7, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q4: San Francisco 49ers 0, Arizona Cardinals 7; Final: San Francisco 49ers 17, Arizona Cardinals 14.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals?
San Francisco 49ers touchdown — F. Beasley (J. Garcia pass) (Q1 55:04) Arizona Cardinals touchdown — K. Kasper (J. Plummer pass) (Q2 37:42) San Francisco 49ers touchdown — G. Hearst (Q3 28:28) Arizona Cardinals touchdown — K. Kasper (J. Plummer pass) (Q4 4:16) San Francisco 49ers field goal — J. Chandler (Q2 30:49, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals?
J. Garcia (San Francisco 49ers), 54.8% completion, +0.27 EPA per dropback, +11.54 total passing EPA. J. Plummer (Arizona Cardinals), 47.1% completion, -0.05 EPA per dropback, -1.58 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals?
J. Garcia (San Francisco 49ers) led the game in total EPA with +11.54 on passing plays. across 42 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.07 EPA): (8:05) 31-M.Shipp up the middle to SF 15 for -6 yards (50-D.Smith, 91-C.Okeafor). FUMBLES (50-D.Smith), RECOVERED by SF-98-J.Peterson at SF 17. 98-J.Peterson to SF 20 for 3 yards (. The biggest win-probability swing was -16.6%.
Was San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. San Francisco 49ers won 17-14 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
San Francisco 49ers
Entered 9-5 Now 10-5 W
Arizona Cardinals
Entered 5-9 Now 5-10 L
Fantasy · fantasyhq.co
