In the blink of an eye, the Arizona Cardinals found themselves trailing the San Francisco 49ers by seven points. A 98-yard kickoff return from Sky Moore set up the 49ers’ offense at the one-yard line, and Christian McCaffrey punched the ball into the end zone on the very next play. San Francisco set the tone of the game in these two plays. They outclassed the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11, securing a 41-22 victory.
Penalties
The Arizona Cardinals were flagged 17 times on Sunday, setting a new franchise record. The most significant back-breaking penalty came in the third quarter. On fourth-and-1, running back Bam Knight ran for a 60-yard score, but an offensive holding penalty nullified the touchdown. Instead of making it a one-possession game, the Arizona Cardinals were forced to punt. On the 49ers’ ensuing drive, they added to their lead with a 47-yard field goal, making it an 18-point game.
Wins are already difficult to come by for the 3-7 Arizona Cardinals, and they are not talented enough to overcome this many self-inflicted penalties. “We’ve got to clean some things up. Until we do that, we’re not going to win,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said postgame. “Give credit to San Francisco, but I think we beat ourselves.”
Brissett Makes History, Wilson Stands Out
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett set an NFL record for completions in a single game. Against the 49ers, he completed 47-of-57 passes for 452 yards. He threw two touchdown passes and a pair of interceptions. Brissett has thrown for over 250 yards and two touchdowns in all five of his starts this season.
With Marvin Harrison Jr. out with an injury, third-year wide receiver Michael Wilson caught 10 passes for 185 yards, both career highs. “I thought he played his ass off,” Gannon said. “[Wilson] played really well today.” With this incredible performance, Wilson proved he can be a reliable target for the Arizona Cardinals’ offense the rest of the season.
49ers’ Offense Rolls
Brock Purdy showed no signs of rust in his return from injury, completing 19-of-26 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He was sharp in his first game action since September 28th.
Tight end George Kittle led San Francisco with six receptions, 67 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Running back Christian McCaffrey recorded 121 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. The Arizona Cardinals’ defense had no answers for the 49ers’ star players in Week 11.
The Arizona Cardinals have allowed 40-plus points in back-to-back weeks. They have allowed 85 total points in the past two games, which is the worst two-game stretch under head coach Jonathan Gannon. “I am a defensive head coach, and it’s not acceptable,” Gannon said. “You can’t win when you give up that many points, and it really doesn’t matter how you get there. You’ve got to stand up, play better, and keep points off the board.”
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