Owens’ Birthday Is No Party for Cardinals

SAN FRANCISCO — Jeff Garcia tried to disguise his shock as he moved under center. Two yards from the end zone, the Arizona Cardinals somehow had forgotten to cover Terrell Owens, standing all alone on the left side of the field.

“I was trying to look around to see where the cornerback was hiding,” Garcia said. “I just tried not to blow the throw, which is so easy in that type of situation.”

Garcia completed the touchdown pass to Owens -- and though the rest of the quarterback’s six touchdowns weren’t quite as easy, the San Francisco 49ers threw quite a birthday party for Owens in their 50-14 victory Sunday.

Owens caught seven passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns on his 30th birthday. Garcia threw four touchdown passes and ran for two . Kevan Barlow rushed for a career-best 154 yards and a touchdown as the 49ers (6-7) nursed their faint playoff hopes with their sixth win in seven games at Candlestick Park.

This one was almost embarrassingly easy, with Owens and Garcia leading the 49ers to their highest-scoring performance since 1994.

“We did almost everything we set out to do in this game, but now the challenge is to put together a streak of games,” safety Tony Parrish said.

Arizona (3-10), which beat San Francisco in overtime six weeks ago, lost its fifth in a row.