The 49ers swept the Cardinals this year. It is a nice feat, but an expected one. The Cardinals are in a state of chaos making them ripe for the picking. Despite that, the 49ers did not sleep on them. They correctly anticipated that the Cardinals would attempt to recreate the Ram’s 13 personnel alignment and run the ball. The Niners held the Cardinals to a paltry 36 yards rushing.
The Cardinal’s air attack, while potent, was ineffectual. They threw for 488 yards on the 49ers defense. Jacoby Brissett completed an NFL record 47 passes during the game. He also threw two interceptions. The 49ers defense bent but did not break most of the game. The Cardinals were able to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter after the game was well in hand. During their last touchdown drive, the 49ers were only playing their subs.
The 49ers start to the game could not have gone any better. Sky Moore’s 98-yard kickoff return to set up a touchdown set the tone for the game. The 49ers were jazzed and ready to play. The Cardinals were not. The defense forced a punt two minutes later and Brock Purdy stepped onto the field for the first time in six games. He went on to complete a 25-yard pass, a 13-yard pass and a 30-yard pass for a touchdown. All of them were down the field on target throws.
Brock Purdy made it clear that there is no quarterback controversy due to his play on the field yesterday. He was crisp, efficient and effective on Sunday. Purdy moved well in the pocket and made great decisions. Brock’s mobility allows the 49ers to open the playbook more. His mobility allows him to buy more time to complete passes down the field as well. Purdy finished the day with 200 yards and three touchdowns.
While Christian McCaffrey remains the focal point of the offense, Purdy’s presence does open the offense up to other player involvement. Six total eligible receivers touched the ball. Brian Robinson Jr. carried the ball well in relief duties. In fact, Brian could stand to touch the ball more. If he did, McCaffrey would remain even more fresh for the remainder of the season. All in all, the offense seemed to hum just a bit better with Purdy on the field.
The defense played better on Sunday. They stuffed the run and secured multiple turnovers. However, they were unable to sack Brissett. The lack of a pass rush will haunt the team the rest of this season. Additionally, Tatum Bethune left the field due to injury. Despite Bethune’s absence, the defense continued to operate fairly well.
With little to no pass rush, the 49ers will have to manufacture pressure with elaborate blitz packages. This will put a strain on the corners as they will be required to play man to man. Coach Saleh will continue to work on disguising what he is doing to protect his coverages. Look for him to experiment with more elaborate blitz packages in the coming weeks as the Niners head into the backstretch of their season.
