NFL: Gore huge in 49ers win

SAN FRANCISCO Frank Gore's spectacular day single-handedly re-established the run game for San Francisco.

Gore had touchdown runs of 79 and a career-best 80 yards and finished with 207 yards on 16 carries, and the 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks 23-10 to take an early hold atop the NFC West standings.

Gore, who surpassed San Francisco's Week 1 rushing total of 21 yards in the first series, nearly reached his franchise mark of 212 yards set in 2006 before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle that didn't appear serious. He became only the second player in NFL history to have two TD runs of 79 or more yards in the same game, joining Barry Sanders. Sanders had runs of 80 and 82 yards at Tampa Bay on Oct. 12, 1997.

Seattle (1-1), coming off a 28-0 season-opening win at St. Louis, took a big blow losing quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to a rib injury just before halftime following a hard hit near the goal line by Patrick Willis. Hasselbeck didn't return after completing 10 of 18 passes for 97 yards and no touchdowns.

Gore also posted just the third 200-yard rushing game in team history. Charlie Garner ran for 201 yards at Dallas on Sept. 24, 2000. Gore had his 212-yard day Nov. 19, 2006, also at Candlestick Park against Seattle. His 246 total yards from scrimmage Sunday was a career high, topping the 238 he had in that '06 game with the Seahawks.

Joe Nedney kicked field goals of 37, 42 and 39 yards for the 49ers. Coach Mike Singletary's team is off to a 2-0 start after he demanded that his players perform better this week and find their identity as a running team. San Francisco won at defending NFC champion Arizona in Week 1.

The 49ers' defense was dominant again this week, handing former 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora his first loss since taking over this season for Mike Holmgren.

What a difference from Singletary's debut at Candlestick Park last October, when he took over for the fired Mike Nolan. San Francisco lost to the Seahawks in a game in which he benched quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan in favor of Shaun Hill, pulled his pants down at halftime to make a point and sent volatile tight end Vernon Davis to the showers early after a personal foul penalty.

Hill was 19 for 26 for 144 yards with no TDs or interceptions and was sacked four times. He improved to 6-0 as a starter at Candlestick and 9-3 overall as an NFL starter. His job was easy: give the ball to Gore.