The Arizona Cardinals face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11 but must wait until Monday night. Considered a home game for the Cardinals, they play San Francisco in the final international game of the season — at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
It is the first time the Cardinals and 49ers face each other this season.
To help preview the game and the Cardinals’ opponent, Niners Wire managing editor Kyle Madson takes use behind enemy lines to give us some insight to the 49ers and their season.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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The Niners' overall season
What can you tell us about the 49ers’ season overall so far? They have some good wins and some head-scratching losses.
They’re getting better as the season rolls along. If they played those games vs. the Bears and Broncos again, they probably win them. Their loss to the Falcons was largely due to the fact they were without starting DL Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw. Christian McCaffrey’s presence made it seem like a big offensive explosion is coming, but they haven’t really found it yet in his three games. Jimmy Garoppolo has been better lately as he’s gotten into the flow of the season as well. This is a talented club, they’ve just not aligned all the pieces quite yet. My guess is they go on a little bit of a second-half run that shows just how much of an aberration the first nine weeks were.
McCaffrey's addition
How impactful will the addition of Christian McCaffrey be down the stretch?
Extremely, if they do it right. The biggest benefit may not even come from all his talent and the stuff he lets head coach Kyle Shanahan do schematically. His greatest impact may come by simply being a check-down option for Garoppolo. If the 49ers’ turnover-prone QB can get away from forcing throws into traffic when pressured, and instead check the ball down to McCaffrey for a few yards, it turns turnovers (or sacks) from negative plays into positive ones. And a Garoppolo who isn’t drilling INTs into the chest of defenders is the best possible version of him.
Niners' strengths
What do the Niners do best on both sides of the ball?
On defense, they dominate the second level. It is so hard to get short, quick throws on them with LBs Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair flying around. Safety Talanoa Hufanga and new nickel DB Jimmie Ward are also helpful in eliminating those easy completions. On top of that, they all fly to the football so screens and check downs rarely turn into big plays. The defensive line gets a lot of the attention, and rightfully so, but it’s what happens in the second level that makes the 49ers’ defense elite. On offense, it’s what their pass catchers do after the catch that makes everything tick. Garoppolo is fine and their run game is good, but when they’re really rolling it’s all of their receivers being hard to tackle and generating big plays.
Matchups
Which matchups are you most excited about? Which ones are you most worried about?
I’m excited to watch DeAndre Hopkins against Charvarius Ward. Ward has been excellent for the 49ers this season, but Nuk will be his biggest test so far this season. The winner of those matchups could determine the outcome Monday night. I’m pretty worried about what J.J. Watt is going to do to their offensive line. They’re susceptible on the interior and at right tackle, and it feels like Watt is going to have a handful of plays where he either blows up a run or forces Garoppolo into a bad mistake. Also special teams! The 49ers stink in that area, and Arizona’s special teams have been good this year by all the metrics.
Prediction
Who wins this game in Mexico and why?
I think the 49ers win? They’re the better team, but given what Colt McCoy did to them at Levi’s Stadium last year it’s hard to pick the 49ers with any confidence. San Francisco should be able to get their ground game going with Elijah Mitchell and McCaffrey. If they can go ball control on offense and keep Garoppolo from turning it over, they should be able to put up 30-plus and from there, their defense can take over. San Francisco’s defense is allowing 13 points per game if we remove the two contests they played against the Falcons and Chiefs where they were super banged up on the defensive side. Of course, division games are weird and the Cardinals have had some ownership over the 49ers in the last few seasons. I think the 49ers win a tight one, and I like Arizona to cover. 49ers 26, Cardinals 21
