If this is it for Frank Gore in San Fran, he's going out on top

Frank Gore might be entering the final four quarters of his San Francisco 49ers career. As a pending free agent, and with the 49ers perhaps heading in another direction next season, it could be the end of an era.

The former third-round pick has been nothing short of a warrior for the franchise.

Gore can move into the NFL's top 20 all time for rushing next week, passing Warrick Dunn, if he can gain 39 yards in Week 17 against the Arizona Cardinals. And with 38 yards, he can become only the ninth back in NFL history with eight 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

[Join FanDuel.com's $2M Week 16 fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 17,475 teams paid]

It hasn't been the easiest season for Gore or for the 49ers, who have been eliminated from the postseason in the wake of injuries, Colin Kaepernick's struggles and the Jim Harbaugh nonsense.

But Gore ran like gangbusters, like none of that mattered, giving the same incredible effort Saturday night in a 38-35 overtime loss to the San Diego Chargers as he did when he broke into the league 10 seasons ago.

Gore kicked off the scoring with a 52-yard touchdown on his second carry of the game to set the tone for the evening.

Check out the broken tackles on the run — three of them, including against Melvin Ingram and Eric Weddle, two great defenders — and the burst Gore still has at age 31.

Later in the first half, Gore showed another one of his underrated skills: pass blocking. It has helped make him maybe one of the more underappreciated backs of this generation, despite being beloved by 49ers fans.

On the first play of the second quarter, Gore reached the 100-yard rushing mark. He finished the game with 158 rushing yards on 26 carries.

Entering Saturday, the 49ers were 6-0 this season when Gore had 15 or more carries in a game, and 18-2 in his previous 20 games with 15 or more.

But naturally, the 49ers forgot about him in the second half and overtime. Gore carried the ball 12 times after halftime, none after the 4:23 mark in the fourth quarter.

And yet somehow, the 49ers can call a QB sweep for Kaepernick right after that, an obvious clock-killing tactic, only to watch him run out of bounds and stop the clock on 3rd and 5. Maybe hand it to Gore?

Also: Quinton Patton — he of the four career touches entering Saturday — received a carry in overtime ... which he promptly fumbled away. The Chargers won the game nine plays later.

Such has been the season for Gore and the 49ers. And it might be the end of their relationship in a little over a week. Both will move on, but neither will be the same without each other.

- - - - - - -

Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm