SANTA CLARA – The 49ers made a five-year, $40 million investment in wide receiver Torrey Smith based on the speed and big-play ability he showed during his four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
While his quick-strike capabilities were kept mostly under wraps for the first five games of the season, Smith finally got his chance to show his deep speed against the team that needed no reminder of what he can do.
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Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Smith hooked up on a 76-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to provide the offensive highlight in the 49ers’ 25-20 victory over the Ravens on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
The 49ers snapped a four-game losing streak to avoid their first five-game skid since the first five games of the 2010 season under Mike Singletary.
The game had no resemblance to the last time the team’s met. The 49ers and Ravens faced each other in Super Bowl XLVII to determine the best team in the NFL for the 2012 season.
On Sunday, both teams were again on the same level – but this time the squads entered with identical 1-4 records.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had to hold off a late Ravens rally to pick up their first victory since a 20-3 season-opening win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Ravens took over, down by five points with 1:01 remaining. They drove to the 49ers’ 40-yard line and on the final play, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco’s throw in the end zone landed incomplete.
The 49ers managed to exploit a thin Ravens secondary that was playing without starting cornerback Lardarius Webb. The 49ers went after newly signed cornerback Shareece Wright on Smith’s stop-and-go route.
Wright signed with the 49ers in the offseason and was considered a leading candidate to win a starting job when training camp opened. But Wright was shoved down the depth chart and did not suit up for the 49ers’ first four games of the season.
Wright was disgruntled and wanted out. The 49ers released him last week and promoted guard Andrew Tiller to the 53-man roster. The Ravens signed Wright on Monday, and he found himself on the field for the first time this season against his former team.
Kaepernick ended the first half with 225 passing yards – a career-best in the first half – and the 49ers took a 16-6 lead into the second half.
Another former Ravens receiver, Anquan Boldin, got deep against veteran Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith for a 51-yard pass from Kaepernick in the second half. That play led to Quinton Patton’s first career touchdown, a 21-yard strike from Kaeperick, that gave the 49ers a 25-13 lead.
Again, Wright was exploited in coverage. Kaepernick bought time with his scrambling. And when Wright fell down, Patton was left all alone in the end zone for the touchdown.
Kaepernick came through with his second strong game in a row. Kaepernick completed 16 of 27 passes for 340 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Hyde’s foot: Running back Carlos Hyde left the game briefly in the third quarter with what appeared to be an aggravation of the foot injury that limited his practice time during the week.
Hyde went down voluntarily on a third-down play and walked gingerly off the field. But he was back on the field a short time later, carrying twice for a loss of two yards.
Hyde finished the game with 55 yards on 21 rushing attempts.
Miller time: Fullback Bruce Miller has been a forgotten man in the 49ers’ offense for most of the season, as the team has mostly employed multi-tight end personnel groups.
But Miller showed up in the first quarter of Sunday’s game, but not in the way you might imagine. Kaepernick hooked up with Miller on three pass plays, including two long completions that set up the Dawson’s first two field goals of the game.
Miller had a 28-yard catch that included a devastating stiff arm that led to Dawson’s 53-yard field goal. Then, Miller had a career-long 52-yard catch to set up Dawson’s 31-yard kick.
Miller, who twice in his career had 56 yards receiving in a game, had a career-best 89 yards on three catches by the end of the first quarter
49ers inactives: Running back Reggie Bush was not active for the game due to a calf strain. It was the third time in six games Bush has been unavailable this season. Rookie Jarryd Hayne served as Hyde’s backup.
The 49ers also did not have the services of wide receiver Bruce Ellington, who sustained a calf injury during practice last week. Rookie receiver DeAndrew White was active and was stationed back deep on kickoffs.
Outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks was back in action after attending the funeral of his older sister, who died recently in Louisiana from a connective tissue disease. With Brooks active for the game, Corey Lemonier did not suit up.
The 49ers’ other inactive players were linebacker Gerald Hodges, offensive linemen Brandon Thomas and Ian Silberman, and nose tackle Mike Purcell.
This ‘n’ that: Ravens coach John Harbaugh entered the game with a 2-0 record against the 49ers with both victories coming when he was matched up against his brother, Jim. The Ravens won the Harbaugh-vs.-Harbaugh meetings on Thanksgiving of 2011 (16-6) and in Super Bowl XLVII (34-31). . . . Jarryd Hayne fumbled on his first punt return of the game. Officially, Hayne has fumbled in each of the 49ers’ first three home games. He lost a fumble on his first punt return of the season on opening night against the Minnesota Vikings. Two weeks ago, Hayne was blamed for a muffed punt on a play in which teammate L.J. McCray was blocked into him, resulting in a fumble. . . Cornerback Tramaine Brock was in tight coverage and helped break up two Joe Flacco passes intended for Steve Smith in the end zone to force the Ravens to settle for Justin Tucker field goals of 22 and 36 yards. . . Linebacker Michael Wilhoite recorded his third career interception, picking off a second-quarter Flacco pass intended for receiver Kamar Aiken. The 49ers turned that takeaway into a Dawson field goal that gave them a 16-3 lead. . . Cornerback Kenneth Acker recorded his second interception of the season and his 45-yard return helped set up Dawson’s fourth field goal of the game, a 42-yarder with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter to give the 49ers a 19-6 lead. . . Acker was on the other side of a big play when Ravens receiver Steve Smith caught a 34-yard touchdown pass against Acker to pull Baltimore to within 19-13 with 2:29 remaining in the third quarter. . . The turf at Levi’s Stadium had not been an issue since the beginning of the regular season, but it appeared as if Tucker was not a fan when he slipped on a 45-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter and hit the right upright. . . . The Ravens cut the 49ers’ lead to 25-20 with 5:14 remaining on Flacco's two-yard touchdown pass to Kamar Aiken.