The 49ers needed to put their stamp on a game. They’d reached the 5-4 mark with a couple of nice wins, but a blowout win would help establish them as a real threat in the NFC. They got that blowout victory Monday night in Mexico City when they thumped the Cardinals 38-10 on national TV.
Here are our thoughts and notes from a laugher in south of the border:
First quarter
– It’s raining in Mexico City! Fun!
– Nice stop for a loss by Deommodore Lenoir on the first play of the game. They’ll get a ton of punts if they force QB Colt McCoy to exist in second or third-and-long.
– Three-and-out for the 49ers on a run and two throws. Looked like there was pass interference on a deep shot to Jauan Jennings, but it would’ve been a pretty soft flag. He got behind the defense, the throw was just off target.
– Nick Bosa just hurdled a blocker trying to cut him and made a tackle for a short gain.
– Charvarius Ward is getting cooked.
– Ward took a knee after having good coverage on a deep shot to a Cardinals tight end. He had to leave the game on a third-and-6, and Lenoir had tight coverage on DeAndre Hopkins. Arizona had to settle for a field goal to go up 3-0.
– Another punt for the 49ers after a third-and-2 end around to Deebo Samuel goes backward. This is an abysmal showing from the 49ers offense.
End of 1st quarter: Cardinals 3, 49ers 0
Second quarter
– Still no Elijah Mitchell, but McCaffrey had a nice run up the left side to get the 49ers in the red zone to open the second quarter.
– The 49ers converted their first red zone trip into a touchdown when Jimmy Garoppolo drilled a strike into Brandon Aiyuk for a seven-yard TD. Aiyuk ran a sick route and Garoppolo did a nice job to find him after initially looking for McCaffrey out of the backfield. It’s 7-3, 49ers.
– Not that he’s easy to stop, but San Francisco has no answers for Hopkins.
– Taunting penalties are dumb.
– There’s a turnover. The 49ers were so close several times, and finally a throw bounces off the hands of running back James Conner and into the hands of Jimmie Ward. San Francisco needed that one, especially since Arizona started to find a little rhythm on offense.
– Nice off schedule play by Garoppolo to find Kittle for a long TD. That’s two weeks in a row the QB has generated a big play after moving outside the pocket. A 39-yard touchdown on a nice catch-and-run for the TE puts San Francisco up 14-3.
– T.Y. McGill, who’s up from the practice squad, made a nice play to blow up a screen.
– Sheesh, the 49ers are so susceptible to screens. Something named Greg Dortch went 47 yards to put the Cardinals in the red zone.
– Easy work for the Cardinals in the red zone. Conner punched it in from two yards out. It looks like Arizona might need to create big plays to score in this game.
– There’s 4:19 left in the half. San Francisco has a chance to score to end the half and then get the ball to start the second half.
– McCaffrey is so freaking good.
– Hey, an Elijah Mitchell sighting! His first carry came with just over two minutes to go in the first half. It was the 49ers’ first run play after nine passes in a row.
– Robbie Gould drills a 39-yard field goal after San Francisco’s drive stalls at the Cardinals 21. They have 21 passes to seven runs through the first half. It’s 17-10, 49ers.
– Nick Bosa’s first sack of the game ends the first half. He’s up to 10.5 sacks for the season.
End of first half: 49ers 17, Cardinals 10
Third quarter
– Elijah Mitchell in early in the second half.
– Spencer Burford is in at right guard after Daniel Brunskill started.
– Wow. Exclamation point from Samuel to close San Francisco’s opening drive off the second half. He went untouched for 39 yards on an end around to put the 49ers up 24-10. They needed eight plays to go 75 yards. Seven of those plays were runs.
– The Cardinals miss a fourth-and-3 throw at the 49ers’ 41. More good field position for San Francisco. A touchdown here might ice it given how good their defense is when it can play with a big lead.
– Dang. Third-and-13, Garoppolo drills a throw in to Aiyuk, but the WR slipped.
– SHEESH. Kevin Givens comes up with a sack to set up a third-and-long. He blasted through untouched for San Francisco’s second sack of the night. Third-and-long isn’t conducive to success for this Cardinals offense.
– The route is on. Aiyuk’s second catch of the night is a 13-yard touchdown and San Francisco is up three touchdowns. They’ve been excellent since their slow start to the game, mixing up the run and pass and staying unpredictable on offense. It’s 31-10, 49ers.
End of third quarter: 49ers 31, Cardinals 10
Fourth quarter
– Talanoa Hufanga nearly decapitated McCoy, but the QB slipped away and Fred Warner came up with the sack instead. When this pass rush gets a big lead it’s scary.
– SHEESH. Kittle AGAIN. Nice little play action look with Garoppolo rolling left and he found Kittle wide open in the flat. The TE did the rest with a 32-yard run. Arizona’s defense gave up. There were several business decisions there. It’s 38-10, 49ers.
– Trace McSorely is in for the Cardinals.
– Brock Purdy is in for the 49ers. A QB battle for the ages.
– Sammy Womack finishes this ball game with an end zone interception with just over two minutes to go. First-career INT for the rookie fifth-round pick.
– This is the 49ers’ third consecutive second-half shutout.
– UDFA RB Jordan Mason getting some burn! That’s cool. 14 yards for him on his first four attempts.
– San Francisco needed to blow a team out. This was as good of an outing as they’ve had all season.
Final score: 49ers 38, Cardinals 10
