The 49ers’ finished their 2022 regular season with a resounding 38-13 thumping of the visiting Arizona Cardinals. The win moved the 49ers to 13-4 on the season and extended their winning streak to a remarkable 10 games. They’ve not lost since Week 7, all the way back on Oct. 23.
In a game where playoffs were at the front of everyone’s mind, it was hard to glean much from the 49ers-Cardinals matchup in the traditional single-game sense, but we found a handful of things that stuck out that should continue to matter heading into the playoffs:
No. 2 seed secured
The 49ers got to watch the Vikings easily roll over the Bears during the 10:00am Pacific Time slate. That meant San Francisco needed a victory to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC. They made it happen and ensured they’ll host any playoff games they play until at least the NFC championship. It wasn’t essential for the 49ers to get a win, but it should definitely help.
BA1K
Brandon Aiyuk at halftime was five yards shy of hitting the 1,000 receiving yard mark for the first time in his career. The 49ers’ first play out of the break was a deep crosser to Aiyuk, who hauled it in for a gain of 20. It gave the 49ers a first down and catapulted him over the 1,000-yard mark. He didn’t have another catch the rest of the way in a game where the 49ers prioritized the health of their starters once they had a lead. Aiyuk’s first three years have seen him steadily improve, and late this season he became one of quarterback Brock Purdy’s favorite targets. His ability to get open in all three levels should make him a valuable piece for the 49ers going into the playoffs.
An easy workload
The 49ers had to walk a fine line between playing to win and not overdoing it with their starters. They toed the line perfectly. It helped that they got up 38-13 in the third quarter, but they didn’t lean to much on any one player to get them there. Running back Christian McCaffrey had 13 touches, RB Elijah Mitchell had five carries in his return from IR, and none of pass catchers Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel had more than four touches. They escaped the game with a win and a full slate of healthy offensive weapons heading into the playoffs.
Deommodore Lenoir bounces back
The second play of the game was a disaster for Lenoir, who went up for an interception and wound up having the ball taken away from him by Cardinals wide receiver AJ Green, who turned in a 77-yard score by the time he stopped running. It was a repeat of a disastrous Week 17 game for the 49ers’ second-year cornerback, but he bounced back the rest of the way. He had good coverage on a deep throw down the left side, and later came up for a tackle-for-loss on a fourth-down play late in the game. Lenoir was having a good year prior to the Raiders game. If he can build on what he did after the Green TD, he’ll be in good shape come playoff time.
Elijah Mitchell gets efficient
It wasn’t a heavy workload for Mitchell, but the 49ers’ second-year RB made the most of his limited opportunities. San Francisco gave Mitchell five carries in his first game back since suffering an MCL sprain in Week 12. He turned those five rushes into 55 yards and two touchdowns. The two TD runs were his first of the year. He looked fresh and explosive, which should make him a factor even with McCaffrey alongside him in the postseason.
Nick Bosa falls short
Bosa wound up falling just shy of tying Aldon Smith’s franchise single-season record for sacks. Smith posted 19.5 in the 2012 season. Bosa finished this year with 18.5 following his one-sack day against Arizona. The star DE may have at least tied the record had the 49ers not pulled their starters in the third quarter. Alas, Bosa will take the career-high and NFL-best 18.5 sacks, and he should be holding up a Defensive Player of the Year trophy soon.
JJ Watt's final game
Shoutout to JJ Watt. What a career.
