SANTA CLARA – Hosting the last-place Arizona Cardinals on a fall afternoon is — sigh — not nearly as seductive as a prime-time showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.
That’s not to say fireworks, turnovers, big plays and overtime won’t be in store again Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
Still licking widespread wounds after Monday night’s 27-24 loss to the Seahawks, the 49ers certainly can draw inspiration on the threat of a two-game losing streak.
The injury-riddled 49ers are understaffed. But their confidence is unwavering. They are eager to welcome in a Cardinals team they just beat 28-25 on Halloween night.
“We know our opponent, and we know what to do to beat them,” defensive end Nick Bosa said matter-of-factly.
In that case, here are five reminders for the rest of you on how the 49ers can beat the Cardinals:
1. Catch the ball
Look, eight drops weren’t all to blame for last game’s defeat, nor was rookie kicker Chase McLaughlin’s shank of an overtime field-goal attempt. Those were glaring errors, however, and the drops weren’t limited to just one culprit.
The 49ers’ receivers need a bounce-back effort, like the one they put forth against Arizona only 2 1/2 weeks ago. Jimmy Garoppolo completed passes to nine different targets in that victory, and his four touchdown passes were spread out to George Kittle, Kendrick Bourne, Emmanuel Sanders and Dante Pettis.
With Kittle expected to miss his second straight game because of knee and ankle injuries against Arizona, and with Sanders’ ribs aching from last game, the 49ers can’t afford butterfingers from their receivers nor wildly off-target throws from Garoppolo.
2. Tracking Murray
Fresh off getting burned by Russell Wilson’s mobility (at least in the clutch), the 49ers know they are in store for another elusive quarterback. Kyler Murray. After halftime on Halloween, Murray got sacked only once and threw for 195 of his 241 yards, and he had all five of his carries for 34 yards.
From Bosa to Richard Sherman, the 49ers front-line and back-line defenders have said they must stay disciplined with their pass rush and plaster receivers in coverage, respectively.
Murray threw many passes out of bounds after getting chased on rollouts last game, and that strategy would work again for the 49ers. “A lot of the game plan we had that week we’re keeping, and we’re obviously adjusting it to some other stuff,” Bosa said.
3. Wary of Fitzgerald finale?
Could Larry Fitzgerald, 36, be making his final appearance against an opponent he’s dominated more than any other in his 16-year career? Perhaps, and Sherman is affording him proper respect and calling it an “honor” to play against his long-time NFC West rival.
“Larry means a lot to this game and the game will be worse if he’s not in it, but obviously he’s had a tremendous career and made a huge impact for generations,” Sherman said. “… He’s done a great job throughout his career being a consummate professional.”
Fitzgerald’s career vs. the 49ers: 177 receptions, 2,344 yards, 18 touchdown catches. His totals last meeting: 4 catches, 38 yards.
The Cardinals don’t need to force it to Fitzgerald (50 catches, 556 yards, 2 TDs), and first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury’s offense spreads its targets. Christian Kirk (40-467) scored his first three touchdowns of the season last game (30-27 loss at Tampa Bay).
Kirk had only two catches for 8 yards against the 49ers, who instead were victimized by screen passes over their pass rush, such as running back Kenyan Drake’s four catches for 52 yards.
4. Recharge the run game
The 49ers offense bogged down against the Seahawks not only because of dropped passes but an ineffective running game. The 24th-ranked Cardinals don’t have the same defensive fortitude, and the 49ers must get their rushing attack to again resemble the league’s second-most productive force.
So who can run? Matt Breida’s ankle injury isn’t as serious as last season’s, but if it keeps him sidelined, then the 49ers need Tevin Coleman as their workhorse. Coleman missed Thursday’s practice for a family matter, so hopefully all is OK on that front. Raheem Mostert, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, could break out, or the 49ers could summon Jeff Wilson Jr. off last game’s inactive list.
The 49ers’ blockers struggled to open lanes last game, an overlooked aspect of missing Kittle. Justin Skule returns to left tackle in place of Joe Staley (finger surgery), and his six-game experience should prove valuable as the line gets back into sync.
5. Don’t get too cocky
The Cardinals have won their past four visits to Levi’s Stadium, and they’ve done so with some shoddy teams and quarterbacks to triumph by 6, 12, 10 and 10 points.
The 49ers were favored by 10 1/2 points on Halloween, and they won by only 3 after allowing 11 unanswered points over the final 10 minutes.
“They’ve got a lot of speed out there, a talented offense and defense,” Shanahan said. “They’ve got a very talented quarterback who’s getting better and better. I see them as a good team now and they are only going to get better.”
The 49ers are 10-point favorites in this rematch, their largest line at home since November 2014, when they lost 13-10 to the Rams (10 1/2-point underdogs).
The Cardinals have had 7-of-10 their games decided within one score, so they’re battling. And they watched the 49ers prove mortal Monday night in a 3-point, hard-fought loss to Seattle.
Kingsbury said he “appreciated” watching that 49ers-Seahawks game, a battle of “two Super Bowl contenders,” adding: “We know we have a long way to go but that’s the goal to start playing in those type of games.”
— The 49ers will be without strong-side linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. He got downgraded to out Saturday after not clearing concussion protocol. Elijah Lee, Mark Nzeocha are options to replace him in the part-time role.
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