After the San Francisco 49ers took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring on two of their first four possessions, Tampa Bay's defense tightened up considerably. Only one of the 49ers' final eight drives resulted in points (a fourth-quarter field goal that temporarily shrunk the Bucs' lead to 10 points), and that was the only one of the eight that lasted more than six plays.
San Francisco was able to run for 160 yards and average 5.7 yards per carry, much of that due to the scrambling and zone-read keepers of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Niners never mounted much of a passing attack, as Kaepernick threw for just 143 yards and was sacked four times for 30 yards.