Cardinals Denzel Burke talks about team’s mindset during blowout loss
After the Cardinals’ 44-22 loss to the Seahawks, defensive back Denzel Burke explains how the team needs to shift focus to next week’s opponent.
The Arizona Cardinals (3-6) will host the San Francisco 49ers (6-4) at State Farm Stadium.Arizona is dealing with significant injuries, with 18 players listed on this week’s injury report.San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to return to the starting lineup after a turf toe injury.San Francisco 49ers (6-4) at Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
Time/site: 2:05 p.m. MST, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
TV: Fox. Radio: 98.7.
Last time they played: The Cardinals were 2-0 when they arrived at Levi’s Stadium in September, and they nearly stretched their undefeated start to three games. Late in the fourth quarter, Zay Jones appeared to have a game-sealing first down on a third-down reception before the ball popped out of his hands, giving possession back to San Francisco. It’s been all downhill for the Cardinals. The 49ers drove for a game-winning score, and the Cardinals are now 1-6 over their past seven.
Series history: The Cardinals are 31-37 all-time against the 49ers, including 2-3 since Jonathan Gannon arrived in 2023. Gannon, though, did lead the Cardinals to a sweep of San Francisco in 2024, giving him more wins against them than he has against any other divisional opponent.
Coaching matchup
Since being hired as the 49ers head coach in 2017 — after offensive coordinator stints in Houston, Washington, Cleveland and Atlanta — Kyle Shanahan has developed a reputation as one of the league’s best coaches, with a 76-66 record and two Super Bowl appearances. The Cardinals staff, meanwhile, is still searching for its rhythm. Arizona is 15-28 under Jonathan Gannon.
Storyline
The Cardinals entered last week with good vibes after a Monday Night Football win over the Cowboys and three straight strong offensive performances. That dissipated quickly in Seattle, as the Cardinals fell behind, 35-0, in the first half. Against a much more beatable 49ers team, the Cardinals need to get their season back on the right track.
Arizona will win if…It gets some injury breaks: The Cardinals’ injury report is outrageous this week, with 18 players officially listed. Several key players have already been ruled out. The big question marks are cornerback Will Johnson, tackle Jonah Williams, running back Zonovan “Bam” Knight and defensive tackle Walter Nolen. It will be tough to pull off the upset without at least a few pieces of good news.Michael Wilson has a career day: With three of its top four outside wide receivers injured, the passing game will run through Wilson and Trey McBride. We know what McBride can do with that responsibility, but Wilson has never entered a game as the No. 1 wide receiver. He’ll need to show that he can take advantage of seeing 10+ targets.It has a plan for Christian McCaffrey: Last time these teams played, McCaffrey got 17 carries and a ridiculous 15 targets, but the Cardinals mostly kept him contained thanks to a huge game from Mack Wilson. With Wilson out, rookie Cody Simon could be responsible for McCaffrey’s receiving threat. On paper, that’s a serious mismatch.
San Francisco will win if…Brock Purdy is his normal self: For the first time since Week 4, Purdy is set to start at quarterback, as he returns from a turf toe injury. When he’s played through the injury this season, Purdy hasn’t been himself, with more turnovers than touchdowns. The idea is that this prolonged rest will get him back to normal.It can get after Jacoby Brissett: Brissett has been excellent from a clean pocket, but he’s completing under 50% of his passes when pressured. Those struggles came to a head against the Seahawks, as he was sacked five times, including two strip sacks returned for touchdowns.It has a plan for Trey McBride: How do you stop Trey McBride? He’s too fast for most linebackers and too big for most safeties. Meanwhile, 49ers slot corner Upton Stout has been one of the worst in the sport. McBride only had 43 yards in the first matchup between these teams, but that was before star linebacker Fred Warner got hurt. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will need to find solutions.They said it
Tight end Trey McBride on the importance of this game: “They’re all important, but this is obviously a divisional game, a rival game, and a team that beat us on a last-second field goal last time. So obviously there’s some bad blood, we want to get our lick back.”
Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis on facing Kyle Shanahan’s offense: “I always joke with the coaches: I like staying ahead of schedule, as soon as San Fran week hits, you’re behind schedule. Just because it takes you so long to work through what they do. Credit to them. It’s really good.”
By the numbers
-0.49 — Expected points added per dropback under pressure for Brissett, 21st among 37 qualified quarterbacks, per FTN Data. Brissett ranks ninth in EPA per dropback when not pressured, at 0.39.
3-12 — Jonathan Gannon’s record against NFC West opponents through two and a half seasons.
9.1 — Combined targets per game for Marvin Harrison Jr. and Zay Jones, both of whom are out this week. Michael Wilson will need to take on a heavy workload.
47.8% — The percentage of Brissett’s dropbacks that have come under pressure. By comparison, Kyler Murray was pressured on just 34.4% of his dropbacks. Part of that is because Brissett holds onto the ball longer, but the Cardinals’ pass protection has also regressed in recent weeks.
391 — Days since the Cardinals beat a team over .500. This game, against a 6-4 San Francisco team, is the second of five straight against teams currently above .500.
Who will win and why
49ers 28, Cardinals 24: The 49ers are not the Seahawks, who destroyed the Cardinals, 44-22, last week. But they’re still a team with dangerous offensive weapons and one of the league’s best head coaches. With the Cardinals’ onslaught of defensive injuries, that should be enough for a road win, despite San Francisco’s own health woes.