Good teams can make adjustments on the fly, and the 49ers did just that after fullback Bruce Miller left the game with a head injury in the first quarter of a 23-7 win over the visiting Cardinals on Sunday.

Without another fullback on the roster - Moran Norris was inactive - the Niners turned to tight end Justin Peelle. A potential problem? Peelle couldn't remember the last time he played the position, but head coach Jim Harbaugh praised the 10-year veteran for his performance in a pinch.

Running backs coach TomRathman "was telling me how to play it on the sidelines," Peelle said. "It's hard, you've got to get your steps right, you can't go too early. We got guys who can do it a lot better than me."

Peelle wasn't the only 49er who was successfully winging it Sunday.

Left tackle Joe Staley said he came up with a successful run play he concocted on the sideline during the game.

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"We see something we haven't seen before every week," Staley said. "We just go the sidelines and come up with something. We called a (run) play this week I came up with. It wasn't part of the game plan, we didn't rep it, but it went for about 10 yards."

Schedule change: As Harbaugh spoke during his postgame news conference, his team's Thanksgiving meeting at Baltimore was less than 100 hours away.

As a result, Harbaugh said he wouldn't be taking Sunday night off. He planned to have dinner with his family before returning to his office for a potential all-nighter.

"We'll see how much work gets done," Harbaugh said. "See how good we feel, how much work we've gotten in by midnight and if it needs to be more and goes past that, I'll stay on my couch at the office."

Gore feels good: Frank Gore, who was listed as questionable with a knee injury sustained in the game against the Giants on Nov. 13, rushed for 88 yards on 24 carries. With the 49ers leading 23-0, Gore sat out the fourth quarter.

"I was fine once I got out there," Gore said. "My trainers did a great job all week of making my mind and my head get right,"

Gore is 61 yards away from breaking Joe Perry's all-time franchise rushing record (7,344 yards).

Davis sets record: Vernon Davis established a franchise record for touchdown catches by a tight end with his 18-yard grab in the third quarter. Davis, who has 34 career touchdown receptions, had been tied with Brent Jones.

"It means a lot to me," Davis said. "... Anytime you can make history, it's a good feeling."

Doucet-Goldson: Harbaugh said he saw Cardinals wide receiver Early Doucet punch Dashon Goldson in the back of the head before the 49ers' safety responded with swings that led to his ejection in the fourth quarter.

"We talked about it in the locker room after the game, and we all saw what happened to Dashon," Harbaugh said. "He's remorseful about it. Talked to the team about it and understands that you can't retaliate."