49ers’ Jimmie Ward gets Larry Fitzgerald’s admiration, jersey

After the 49ers’ cornerback routinely was matched against Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who finished with 12 catches for 133 yards in the Cardinals’ 23-20 win, he was given the shirt off his back: Fitzgerald, 33, obviously won some of their matchups, but Ward, 25, also finished with a career-high four pass breakups, and his seven tackles matched a game high. The 2014 first-round pick relished the chance to go against Fitzgerald, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who moved into sixth place in NFL history in receptions (1,086). Plenty of people are being blamed for the 49ers’ 1-8 record, but general manager Trent Baalke said fingers shouldn’t be pointed at CEO Jed York. Baalke addressed the 49ers’ inactivity in the free-agent market prior to their nightmarish season and said he was given no directive to take a fiscally conservative approach. The 49ers signed only one starter, left guard Zane Beadles, during free agency, and their $40-plus million in salary-cap space ranks second behind the Browns. “The bottom line is the ownership gives us everything we need to be successful, everything we need,” Baalke said to reporters before the game. If people want to put blame, find it, look right here. Because I’m given everything I need to be successful in the job that I’m doing. Dawson is one field goal from becoming the 10th kicker in NFL history with 400.