NFL: SAN FRANCISCO (1-0) at ST LOUIS (0-1) <h3>49ers seek first 2-0 start in nearly a decade</h3> San Francisco (1-0) at St. Louis (0-1) Sunday 1:00 pm EDT ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Alex Smith showed maturity in directing alate game-winning touchdown drive against the Arizona Cardinals. Now, the young quarterback looks to lead the San Francisco 49ersto their first 2-0 start in nearly a decade when they visit theSt. Louis Rams on Sunday. San Francisco has not opened with two wins since 1998, when itstarted 3-0 and finished 12-4 under Steve Mariucci. Regarded as a sleeper team in the NFC by many observers, the49ers looked sluggish for 57 minutes against the Cardinals,managing just 109 total yards. But Smith, now in his third season, engineered an 86-yard drivein the final three minutes before Arnaz Battle scored on a1-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds to play. The No. 1 overall pick in 2005, Smith finished just 15-of-31 for126 yards, but was 6-of-10 for 60 yards on the winning drive.He kept the 49ers alive by scrambling for 25 yards on 4th-and-1to the Cardinals' 20. "We struggled all night," Smith said. "It was frustrating onoffense. Our guys stepped up on the final drive. We never quitbelieving and never stopped knowing that we were going to pullit out and win the game. I am so proud of this team." The Rams opened with a disappointing 27-13 home loss to theCarolina Panthers. St. Louis, which entered the season withdefensive concerns, gave up 186 yards on the ground and allowedJake Delhomme to throw three touchdown passes. St. Louis needs a better effort from running back StevenJackson, who ran for just 58 yards on 18 carries and lost twofumbles. The 2006 Pro Bowler had 2,314 total yards fromscrimmage last season. The Rams will be without Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Pace, whowill miss the remainder of the season after suffering a tornlabrum in the second quarter against the Panthers. It is the second major injury in as many seasons for Pace, whosat out the last seven games of last year with a torn lefttriceps. "I feel real bad for Orlando," Rams coach Scott Linehan said."He worked very, very hard to get himself back from his tricepsinjury a year ago. He probably is in the best shape he's beenin a number of years." The NFC West rivals split their two meetings last season, witheach winning at home. The 49ers posted a 20-13 win in Week Twoand the Rams returned the favor with a 20-17 victory in Week 12.
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 0 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR SFO BALL ON SFO 20 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 0 12:24 LEFT, 1ST QTR STL BALL ON STL 26 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 0 8:54 LEFT, 1ST QTR STL BALL ON SFO 25 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL TD STL TORRY HOLT 12 YD PASS FROM MARC BULGER (JEFF WILKINS KICK) SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 7 6:04 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 7 5:57 LEFT, 1ST QTR SFO BALL ON SFO 34 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 7 4:49 LEFT, 1ST QTR STL BALL ON STL 12 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 7 4:12 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 7 3:39 LEFT, 1ST QTR STL BALL ON STL 39 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- SAN FRANCISCO 0 0 ST LOUIS 7 7 END, 1ST QTR SCORING SUMMARY 1ST QUARTER: STL - TD, TORRY HOLT 12 YD PASS FROM MARC BULGER (JEFF WILKINS KICK), 8:56. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards in 2:50. Key plays: Massey recovery of Williams fumble at San Fransisco 25; Jackson 8-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to San Fransisco 8. ST LOUIS 7-0</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 0 ST LOUIS 7 14:55 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL TD SFO FRANK GORE 1 YD RUN (JOE NEDNEY KICK) SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 7 14:57 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 7 14:51 LEFT, 2ND QTR STL BALL ON STL 21 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL FG STL JEFF WILKINS 27 YD SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 10 9:04 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 10 9:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR SFO BALL ON SFO 28 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 10 6:32 LEFT, 2ND QTR STL BALL ON STL 8 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 10 STL BALL ON SFO 11 YD LINE 3RD AND 5</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL FG STL JEFF WILKINS 29 YD SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 13 1:51 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST LOUIS 13 1:46 LEFT, 2ND QTR SFO BALL ON SFO 47 YD LINE 1ST AND 10</div>
NFL: SAN FRANCISCO at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- SAN FRANCISCO 0 7 7 ST LOUIS 7 6 13 HALFTIME SCORING SUMMARY 1ST QUARTER: STL - TD, TORRY HOLT 12 YD PASS FROM MARC BULGER (JEFF WILKINS KICK), 8:56. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards in 2:50. Key plays: Massey recovery of Williams fumble at San Fransisco 25; Jackson 8-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to San Fransisco 8. ST LOUIS 7-0 2ND QUARTER: SFO - TD, FRANK GORE 1 YD RUN (JOE NEDNEY KICK), 0:03. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards in 3:42. Key plays: 15-yard interference with opportunity to catch penalty on Rams' Vinnett to St Louis 39; Smith 10-yard pass to Jackson to St Louis 26; Smith 19-yard pass to Davis to St Louis 7. SAN FRANCISCO 7-7 STL - FG, JEFF WILKINS 27 YD, 5:56. Drive: 11 plays, 79 yards in 5:53. Key plays: Bulger 14-yard pass to Holt to St Louis 39; Bulger 22-yard pass to Bruce to San Francisco 37; Bulger 26-yard pass on 3rd-and-11 to McMichael to San Francisco 12. ST LOUIS 10-7 STL - FG, JEFF WILKINS 29 YD, 13:09. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards in 4:41. Key plays: Bulger 18-yard pass to Holt to St Louis 26; Bulger 20-yard pass to Jackson to St Louis 46; Bulger 27-yard pass to Bruce to San Francisco 16. ST LOUIS 13-7</div>
