Highlights galore in SF’s blowout win

It was a mistake-filled game for the home team and San Francisco took full advantage in Brock Purdy’s return. The 49ers had their highest scoring output of the year and posted 40 points in a game for the first time since Week 15 of the 2023 season.

San Francisco’s defense just can’t close the door. Dortch hauled in a 17-yard touchdown to make it 41-22 ball game. Rookie safety Marques Sigle broke up the two-point conversion try on a throw to Trey McBride. One note: Jacoby Brissett set an NFL record with 47 completions. He’s also up to 452 passing yards.

What a game for the 49ers offense. They capitalized on a plethora of Cardinals mistakes and put up 40 points for the first time since Week 15 of the 2023 season when they hung up 45 on the Cardinals in Arizona. McCaffrey set up his own touchdown with a 20-yard run, which was the team’s first 20-yard run of the year. He took the next handoff off the right side, found the corner and found paydirt to make it 41-16. The touchdown was McCaffrey’s second rushing TD and his third total TD of the game.

Arizona isn’t mailing in the final minutes of Sunday’s game. McBride on his 10th reception of the game pulled in a touchdown from 10 yards out to make it a 35-16 game. 49ers LB Luke Gifford came up with a stop on the two-point conversion try to keep it a three-touchdown game.

San Francisco extended its lead to 35-10 during a third quarter where their defense forced a punt and snagged an interception. Arizona is driving to close the third and will open the fourth with a first-and-goal at the 49ers’ 7. It’s not over just yet.

The 49ers turned Lenoir’s interception into another touchdown. They needed five plays to go 14 yards and Kittle capped the drive by hauling in an easy touch throw from Brock Purdy on a third-and-goal from the 5. It’s 35-10 and the 49ers have done a nice job capitalizing on Cardinals mistakes. For Kittle, the TD grab was the 50th of his career.

Two 49ers interceptions?? In one game??? San Francisco had one interception all year entering Sunday. Lenoir snagged his second of the year and San Francisco’s second of the game late in the third quarter. He just jumped a route that QB Jacoby Brissett threw late thanks to some pressure by the 49ers defensive front. An impressive return put the 49ers at Arizona’s 15 to start the drive.

The San Francisco 49ers looked like they were going to cruise in for a touchdown. They had a third-and-4 at the Arizona 15, put Brock Purdy took a sack on third down after Cardinals DE Josh Sweat was able to turn the corner on right tackle Colton McKivitz. While the 49ers special teams has been a disaster at various points, Pineiro is a perfect three-for-three on field goals after connecting from 48 yards out to put San Francisco ahead 28-10 with 7:27 to go in the third quarter.

Arizona on a fourth-and-inches handed to Knight who found daylight for what looked like a game-changing 60-yard touchdown. Instead, a holding penalty on Cardinals TE Pharaoh Brown nullified the play and put Arizona in a fourth-and-11 situation where they punted. Arizona is at 13 penalties for 95 yards with 12:32 to go in the third.

What a wild end to the first half. The 49ers got an interception with 22 seconds left and were able to get into field goal range thanks in part to a penalty on the Cardinals. Eddy Pineiro tried a 62-yard kick that was blocked, but a 15-yard penalty on Arizona for running into the long snapper gave San Francisco another try and Pineiro connected from 47 yards out to give San Francisco a 25-10 lead at halftime.

Highlight plays have been rare for San Francisco’s defense this year, but they got one late in the first half against the Cardinals. Safety Malik Mustapha jumped a deep in-breaking throw to WR Greg Dortch and held on through a ton of contact. That’s the first takeaway for either team and it gives the 49ers a chance for points before halftime.

Hey! The 49ers successfully converted a kick! Pineiro missed an extra point and had another blocked in his first three tries. His first field goal attempt went much better. He lined up from 48 yards out and drilled it down the middle to extend the 49ers’ lead to 22-10 over the Cardinals.

Beal was evaluated for a concussion in the first half Sunday and was officially ruled out at the two-minute warning. A thin 49ers DE group gets thinner.

Yikes!

Special teams continues to be an adventure for both sides Sunday. Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland had his 26-yard field goal try blocked by Alfred Collins, but it had enough pace to sneak over the crossbar for three points that made it a 19-10 49ers lead. San Francisco’s defense did a nice job on that series after Arizona got inside the 5. A holding penalty moved them back, and then a big tackle for loss by Dee Winters put Arizona in a third-and-goal from the 9 where they were unable to convert.

In what appears to be a weekly occurrence, Bethune exited Sunday’s game in the second quarter after getting in on a tackle. It’s hard to blame Bethune for getting banged up as much as he does when he’s around the football as often as he is.

McCaffrey scored an easy touchdown on a nice throw from Brock Purdy, but it’s hard to emphasize what the 49ers are doing offensively because their special teams group is such a disaster. Eddy Pineiro’s first extra point was blocked. His next one he flat out pushed right after the McCaffrey touchdown. It’s 19-7, 49ers and their special teams unit is officially a problem again.

Special teams disasters by both teams were the story of the first quarter. The 49ers got a 98-yard return from Skyy Moore on the opening kickoff that set up the 49ers for a one-yard touchdown on their first offensive play. San Francisco later had an extra point blocked and gave up a long punt return to Arizona. The Cardinals didn’t get much from their long punt return and tried a 58-yard field goal that kicker Chad Ryland pulled very wide left. What a mess.

San Francisco’s defense isn’t good enough for anything to come easy. Arizona answered the 49ers’ five-play TD drive with nine-play, 72-yard TD drive where they never faced any real resistance from the visiting team. Knight cruised in untouched for a six-yard touchdown run on first-and-goal. It’s 13-7, 49ers.

Whew. San Francisco’s offense is rolling early. Their first drive was only one play for one yard and went for a touchdown. Their second drive they covered 70 yards in five plays with Purdy hitting Jauan Jennings for 25 yards to extend the drive on a third down, and then connecting with Kittle for a 30-yard touchdown. The throw to Kittle was sensational. Unfortunately for the 49ers’ special teams unit they had another extra point blocked. That’s their second in as many weeks. It’s 13-0, 49ers with 9:51 to go in the first quarter.

One play, one score for the 49ers in Brock Purdy’s return. Purdy handed to McCaffrey on first-and-goal from the 1 and McCaffrey plowed in for a score to put San Francisco ahead 7-0 only 16 seconds into the game.

The 49ers’ special teams unit has been a massive improvement this season and Brock Purdy’s first drive back will begin at the 1-yard line thanks to Moore’s 98-yard kick return to open the game.

Deommodore Lenoir is officially active for the 49ers after being listed as questionable on the injury report. Here’s who won’t suit up for San Francisco:

RB Jordan JamesWR Jordan WatkinsOL Connor ColbyDE Clelin FerrellDT Kevin GivensCB Eli AppleWhat time does 49ers vs. Cardinals start?  Date: Sunday, November 16Time: 1:05 pm PTWhere: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.What TV channel is 49ers vs. Cardinals on today?  49ers vs. Cardinals predictionsDespite a rough outing against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10, experts are leaning heavily toward the 49ers in their matchup with Arizona. It turns out the Cardinals will enter Sunday more banged up than San Francisco. Neither team is a threat to win the Super Bowl, but we’ll lean toward the 49ers since they have more on the line Sunday. 49ers 27, Cardinals 2449ers injury updatesCB Deommodore Lenoir (calf), Questionable

While Lenoir is officially questionable, the 49ers’ roster moves included elevating cornerback Eli Apple from the practice squad. That doesn’t bode well for Lenoir.

49ers schedule 2025

Here is San Francisco’s regular season schedule and results.