The 1-1-0 Arizona Cardinals were involved in a key division match with the 2-0-0 San Francisco 49ers. There are a ton of media outlets that have placed the Niners in this year’s NFC Championship Game. However, San Fran has a ton of injuries to key players including DE Nick Bosa. We all know this changes the outcome of games.
What exactly are the Cardinals this year? Bottom-feeder again? An up-and-comer? Or perhaps a playoff roster?
RELATED: CARDINALS NEED OFFENSIVE STARS TO BREAKOUT
The Cardinals have
their own injury list, and it seems to grow each week. Front and center is CB Will Johnson, who was placed on IR. That is a huge hole.
The offense dominated in the first half yet could only score six points. In the end, Arizona came back only to lose 36-30. The loss did show that the Cardinals can stay with the big dogs if they can start converting long drives into touchdowns instead of field goals and punts.
So, who played well for the Cardinals? Who didn’t?
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BEAKS
TE Trey McBride – Can’t this talented player just be a default addition each week? He knows how to get open, although his route tree is pretty limited. But he has great hands and is a huge option in this offense. Had the 18-yard pickup midway in the second quarter for 18 yards. Grabbed a 13-yard pass early in the third quarter. Drew that huge 19-yard pass interference penalty early in the fourth quarter which was then converted into a touchdown.
S Andrew Wingard – It is good to have heavy hitters on your defense. Wingard came to play and seemed to be everywhere. On the Niners second possession of the game in Quarter 2, Wingard had four tackles on this drive alone. Led the Cardinals with 10 total tackles.
WR Michael Wilson – Excellent conversion of the fourth-and-one seven-yard reception as the second quarter was winding down. Several plays later could not haul in the second-and-goal pass, which became three points instead of six. With 1:11 left in the second quarter, snared the 17-yarder, followed by the completion for 11 yards. Again, Wilson and QB Jacoby Brissett could not hook up on the third-and-14, which netted three points instead of six. It was Brissett to Wilson again on fourth down in the third quarter for the conversion. Then with 3:02 left in Quarter 3, Brissett found Wilson for the five-yard touchdown after he snuck out from the backfield. Led all receivers with 17 targets and 11 receptions for 89 yards.
Special teams – K Chad Ryland nailed all three field goal attempts plus was 3-for-3 in PATs. P Blake Gillikin has a sensational game with a 50.3 average per punt on four kicks. Simi Fehoko had the recovery of Gillikin’s punt that ricocheted off the Niners’ blocker. Punt coverage was good as well.
RB Jeremiyah Love – Starting to see how this young man operates. He does give it everything he has. His longest run was just eight yards, but he puts full effort into every carry. Flared out in the fourth quarter and was wide open for the pass completion, but QB Jacoby Brissett threw it behind Love, who was able to cradle the ball and score. Caught all five targets for 19 yards and led all rushers with 21 carries for 90 yards.
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GEEKS
First-half offense – The Cardinals dominated in the first half in terms of time of possession, 21:01 to San Fran’s 8:59, yet were losing 17-6. The 49ers focused on scoring touchdowns rather than field goals in their limited offensive opportunities. Arizona possessions in the first half: punt, punt, punt, FG, FG. The Cardinals had a first-and-goal on the nine and could not punch it in. On the next drive, the drive stalled at the opponent’s 19. Everyone is in unison that this new offense will need to blossom, but being patient isn’t an easy ask.
WR Marv Harrison – Every week, it seems Harrison cannot get separation. What happened to this talented receiver? We get that McBride had 11 targets and Wilson had another 17, but those guys are getting open. Harrison is rarely looked at anymore. Are three catches for 40 yards even newsworthy?
Penalties – Ahhhh!! These came at the worst times. DE Josh Sweat was flagged for roughing the passer in the fourth quarter with 9:14 left, on a third-and-six and a first down that eventually became a touchdown after the incompletion. Arizona mounted a very good drive in their first possession, only to have a holding call by Elijah Higgins on a second-and-10 as San Fran’s 36 became a second-and-20 back in Cardinals territory, which eventually turned a 12-play drive into a punting situation. During the Cardinals’ second possession in Quarter 2, the offense was slapped with three penalties that pushed them from close range in enemy territory to their own 47: too many men on the field, LG Isaiah Seumalo false start, illegal shift, and RT Elijah Wilkinson false start. 10 penalties for 86 yards are drive killers.
Pass defense – This became the game’s outcome. RB Christian McCaffrey converted a third-and-seven into a 13-yard gain as the first quarter was winding down. He came out of the backfield as he often does, but CB Garrett Williams was slow to pick him up. Several plays later, WR Jordan Watkins did a simple cross and was wide open for 26 yards after beating CB Max Melton. Three plays later, QB Brock Purdy hit WR Mike Evans for the touchdown after giving CB Denzel Burke a wiggle that he bit on and was open in the end zone. Burke never even looked at the ball, and if he had simply turned his head, he was in position to swat the pass away. Watkins was wide-ass open with 17 seconds left in the second quarter, which became a 34-yard gain with coverage by LB Mack Wilson. Watkins stayed in to block, then flared out without anybody around. The Niners got three points from this blunder.
How many times in the game did we see TE George Kittle catch an 11-yarder, 18-yarder, and other double-digit receptions that became drive extenders like the 10-yard completion for the touchdown late in the fourth quarter? LB Baron Browning made contact with Kittle coming off the line, then released him. He was wide open at the four and did the rest to get into the end zone. Did the Arizona defense not have any idea of how to cover him? Then, on the 49ers’ next possession, guess who was wide open at the five-yard line? Four Cardinals pass defenders were in the center of the field. All Kittle did was come off the line and run a pattern. No head fake, no shoulder bob, nothing. Run a route without any coverage at all.
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Bird Seed – It all started with, “Here, hold my beer”
QB Jacoby Brissett – So far this season, Brissett has been a middle-of-the-road quarterback. He tossed 52 passes in today’s game and completed 38. The issue is that when the offense drives down and gets into scoring range, Brissett will miss his targets, and the Cardinals will settle for three points instead of six. The third-and-17 throw to Wilson as the second quarter was winding down was nowhere near him, and Arizona had to settle for yet another field goal. He hit Love for the touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but the rookie had to reach back for the pass. He is a good game manager, but can’t get into that elite passer category. Went 38-of-52 for 280 yards, a 5.4 yards-per-completion average, tossed two touchdowns, threw zero interceptions, was sacked twice, and had a 78.1 QB rating.
ST Simi Fehoko – Each week, Fehoko does something special on special teams. This week, it was the fumble recovery that skipped off 49ers blocker S Siran Neal at the Cardinals’ own 28-yard line.
