49ers 34, Falcons 24
Colin Kaepernick passed for one score and ran for another and NaVorro Bowman took an interception 89 yards for a touchdown with 1:10 left to seal San Francisco's win in what could have been the final game at Candlestick Park.
Kaepernick went 13-of-21 for 197 yards and added 51 yards on six carries for the 49ers (11-4), who clinched a playoff spot with their fifth straight win. Frank Gore rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown, Michael Crabtree caught five passes for 102 yards and Anquan Boldin added six catches for 72 yards and a score for San Francisco.
Matt Ryan finished 37-of-48 for 348 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and Roddy White caught 12 passes for 141 yards and a score for the Falcons (4-11). Tony Gonzalez also had a touchdown grab and Steven Jackson rushed for 53 yards and a score.
Atlanta made an unlikely rally in the fourth quarter as Ryan hit Gonzalez for a 2-yard TD to pull within 27-24 then recovered an onside kick just before the two-minute warning. But Ryan's pass for Harry Douglas was broken up and Bowman snagged the deflection and raced up the right sideline.
The Falcons led 10-3 at halftime on the strength of Jackson's 2-yard touchdown run and Matt Bryant's 35-yard field goal, but San Francisco's offense came to life in the second half. The 49ers scored three touchdowns and a field goal on their four offensive possessions after the break.
GAME NOTEBOOK: San Francisco can win the NFC West and earn a first-round bye with a win at Arizona and a Seattle loss against St. Louis next week. … The 49ers improved to 12-0 when Kaepernick starts and has a rating of 100 or better. … The Falcons dropped to 6-1 in games played on the West Coast under coach Mike Smith.