San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore had a signature game Thursday night with 182 yards from scrimmage in a 13-6 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. All of that production came despite a painful injury.
Gore said he was hit in the back during the second quarter and suffered bruised ribs. He received X-rays after the game and said he was fine. Cameras showed Gore wincing and struggling to breathe late in the game.
The 49ers' all-time leading rusher missed his team's final drive, but he otherwise gutted it out. He had 92 rushing yards in the second half alone. He led the team in receiving. ESPN reported that Gore had 107 yards after contact, which says it all.
Gore remains one of the most underrated players of his generation. There hasn't been a more complete back -- running, receiving and blocking -- to enter the NFL since Gore hit the scene in 2005. Now he's finally playing for a winner and still playing a very high level at age 29.
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