The Arizona Cardinals find themselves in a key division matchup early in the schedule as they meet the San Francisco 49ers on the road in an afternoon contest. The game is being broadcast on FOX and one of four late Sunday games, so the viewership should be high.
Both teams come into the game unbeaten with 2-0-0 records. Currently, there is a three-way tie with the Los Angeles Rams who are also unbeaten in two matches. The Rams play the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Philly in one of the early
games.
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If Arizona can beat the 49ers with the Rams against a very tough opponent, the victory would place the Cardinals in sole possession of the NFC West Division.
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. No, sir.
The Niners are a very good team this year. They are ranked #6 in passing yards (556) and passing completions (52), #7 in passing attempts (74), #3 in passing TDs (5), and have the second most passing plays of 40+ yards (2). Their rushing attack needs work as they are ranked #22 in rushing yards (196) and #5 in rushing attempts. This means they aren’t getting much per run as they are getting just 3.2 yards per carry on average, which is ranked #29.
Overall, San Fran’s offense is ranked #7 in the league. And they are going to air it out.
What will be the keys to winning this game? Here’s three:
Strong pass rush
With a very good passing attack, the best method to interrupt the 49ers flow is to get pressure on their quarterback. Starting QB Brock Purdy was out versus the New Orleans Saints this past weekend, but veteran Mac Jones took over and proceeded to toss three touchdown passes in route to a 26-21 victory.
Jones should again start against Arizona. He is not as mobile as Purdy so he isn’t going to be flushed as much. The Saints sacked him three times and that number could just as well have been doubled as Jones was able to get loose on occasion. Purdy is a much better pure passer, but if Jones gets into any sort of rhythm and has a clean pocket, he can throw into tight windows and has the ability to go through his progressions as he threw the ball 39 times.
Against the Saints, Jones threw to 10 different receivers, so he has the experience to get the ball out in a hurry. The Cardinals will need to rush at least four players and sometimes five on occasion to keep Jones from getting any momentum going. The Niners are not a team that will keep a tight end to block on a regular basis as they considered their TEs more pass catchers than extensions of the offensive line.
DT Calais Campbell will need to have good game as well as LDE Josh Sweat and Xavier Thomas with an occasional blitz from S Budda Baker who leads the team in tackles with 18. Sweat is currently third in the NFL in pressures (5). Campbell has two sacks, but the greater need in this game is to disrupt the pocket.
And DT Dalvin Tomlinson needs to find a better push on passing downs. Show the 49ers that discipline with technique still works in this league.
Decrease the big plays
Arizona has two of the best safeties in the league this year with Baker and Jalen Thompson. Both are willing tacklers and seem to be around the ball quite a bit.
But the 49ers are built for the big splash on offense. They dink and dunk, they try to hit the big one. When Purdy was under center, the team could throw it deep because he has the arm strength, but Jones does not. This will limit them, especially if Thompson and Baker can seal off the top when their offense does attempt the long ball. Which they do.
Jones connected on a 42-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game winner. The pass was just 21 yards before WR Jauan Jennings took it to the house.
Niners RB Christian McCaffrey is healthy again and is always one juke away from a big play. He is used quite a bit as a receiver especially in the slot, which will be the duty of the linebackers to shadow him. McCaffrey has great hands and can gain good yardage after the catch, but the front defenders will have to try to bottle him in during running downs. Currently, he is tied for third in the league in receptions, so he is an important portion of the 49ers offensive strategy.
If this Cardinals defense can keep McCaffrey in check and take him out of the offensive gameplan, it would be a huge plus. The defense will need a good tackler and pass coverage guy to shadow him.
Arizona’s back four allowed some decent to big plays from the Carolina Panthers last week. Rookie Tetairoa McMillan found open spots as he gained 100 yards on just six catches. In the first quarter, McMillan took a short pass over the middle that went for 40 yards and another catch in Quarter 2 gulped 22 yards. The cornerbacks are going to have to play closer to their receivers against the 49ers.
The interception by Cardinals LB Baron Browning was a crossing route intended for McMillan.
There is a report that Purdy might be available for the game after suffering a toe injury, but it is considered a long shot if he does suit up.
Successful offensive drives
To be effective in this game, the Cardinals offense must move the ball. Easier said than done. We admit this. Robert Saleh is back as the 49ers DC. He may not know how to run an entire organization or figure out what dark room Aaron Rodgers is visiting, but Saleh is an exceptional defensive mind.
Arizona must be able to complete drives. Period. Field goals are their best friend in this contest. K Chad Ryland is having a good year going 4-5 on field goal attempts with his only miss the blocked attempt against the Saints in Week 1. He has hit a long of 50 yards with a range of 72 yards it would seem as evidenced in warmups.
The Cardinals must collect points and abandon the notion to go for it after crossing the midfield stripe. If the offense can regularly get inside or near San Francisco’s 40-yard line, trot out Ryland and let him rip. The Niners defense is one of the league’s best, so settle for field goals and build up the scoreboard.
The short passing game should be there for QB Kyler Murray especially since his favorite targets thus far have been TE Trey McBride and his other tight ends. They are all grinders.
Work on the four-minute mechanics.
Yes, two touchdowns are 14 points, but five field goals equal 15 points, plus those long drives keep San Fran’s offense off the field and wears down their defensive players.
And why isn’t OC Drew Petzing getting Marvin Harrison more targets? Five against the Panthers and six versus the Saints? Really? Why doesn’t Petzing treat this year like Harrison is on a Pro Bowl trek and see what happens with this offense? He can’t if he doesn’t get more throws his way.
The 49ers have the league’s sixth best pass defense so far in 2025. But they have a weakness: San Fran is allowing 71.9% of passes to be completed. McBride and Harrison would be a great test to show the rest of the NFL that the Cardinals have offensive players, too.
Extra points
Take the three points on stalled drives, get into the end zone for a touchdown or two if possible, and get into the opposing quarterback’s face more times than he would like.
One of the weaknesses of this Niners defense is a running quarterback on a rollout. Their defensive linemen are good at stopping the run, but not at going all out in the flats for very many plays. Option plays for Murray with the ability to run for yardage should become an asset.
The defense for Arizona must put constant pressure on Jones who can be rattled if hit enough. The limited time to throw will provide more incompletions and at the same time will protect the Cardinals secondary.
And finish offensive drives.
