The 49ers and Cardinals played twice in the first nine weeks last season. This year they won’t meet until Week 11 on Monday Night Football.
Both clubs have put together up-and-down years to this point, but it’s San Francisco that enters the game with a 5-4 record, 1.5 games ahead of the 4-6 Cardinals. It’s a chance for the 49ers to put a nail in a division rival’s coffin, and a chance for the Cardinals to kick the door in on the playoff picture.
So, just how good are the Cardinals this year? We got in touch with the Cards Wire’s Jess Root to get a lay of the land in the desert (lots of cacti FYI) ahead of Monday nights’s showdown in Mexico City.
Niners Wire: Who's gonna play quarterback?
Jess Root: I think it will end up being Kyler Murray. He wants to play and he has made progress this week, but the team is fully confident in Colt McCoy, who is 3-1 in four starts over the last two seasons, 3-0 against the NFC West and 1-0 against the Niners. I would say its probably 75% likely Murray plays, assuming he continues to make progress with his tweaked hamstring.
NW: How much has DeAndre Hopkins' return helped Arizona's offense?
JR: It has been critical. We were supposed to see Hopkins and Hollywood Brown but Brown got hurt the week before Hopkins returned from his suspension. Hopkins changes how teams defend the Cardinals. He is the guy that always needs attention. And even with the extra attention, he is still producing. His return has meant consistently scoring in the 20s again.
NW: What kind of impact might Marquise Brown have?
JR: It would appear that Brown will be reinstated from IR for the game. It is trending that way, at least. He was playing like a true No. 1 WR for the six games he played and, if paired with Hopkins, assuming the Cardinals can protect whoever is throwing the football, it could mean scary things for the San Francisco secondary. If Hopkins is getting extra attention, Hollywood will be free. If you give them equal attention, one will likely win their matchup. It is what the Cardinals have been waiting to see all season.
NW: What's the strength of the Cardinals' defense?
JR: Many of the metrics say they don’t do anything well — red zone, third down, points allowed, and they have allowed five first-drive touchdowns, but there is one thing that they have proven they can do — they can stop individual receivers. They shut down Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. They can be more than adequate against the run, but that has been key. They are 4-0 when holding opponents under 100 rushing yards and 0-6 when they rush for 100.
NW: Can Arizona's offensive line block?
JR: Yes?? The problem is that they will have four backups playing. LT D.J. Humphries has been ruled out. LG Justin Pugh, C Rodney Hudson and RG Will Hernandez are all on IR. If the plan is to get he ball out immediately like it was against the Rams, it won’t matter. They have protected adequately well but they haven’t been able to run the ball enough, although that is more of a byproduct of trailing in games.
NW: Who wins and why?
JR: I could see this going completely sideways early for the Cardinals if McCoy starts. I don’t think it will. The Cardinals are fresh off a division win and do play the Niners well. It is a game that I think the Cardinals CAN win, especially if they can score early. A WR group of Hopkins, Hollywood and Rondale Moore should be veyr hard to defend. That said, I think the San Fran running game will be too much and the 49ers grind out a close win. 49ers 24, Cardinals 20
