“They had bad calls all game”, 49ers guard Alex Boone said. “It was not sexy whatsoever”. Though it dropped the 49ers to just 1-2 on the season, Kaepernick never seemed able to shake off the confidence shattering loss and was incredibly ineffective in losing four of the next five games to all but seal San Francisco’s fate this season. Purcell started at right defensive tackle while Quinton Dial shifted to the left side and filled the void of Glenn Dorsey, who had a season-ending knee injury last Sunday.
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The Arizona Cardinals’ 19-13 victory at the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday was their first victory in the Bay Area since 2008 – but it came in the form of the ugliest, most exasperating contest in recent memory. It has been a rough season and this divisional game should not be any different. “No one expected it to be easy”. Front office dysfunction and player losses including retirements have played a role, and the team ranks 28th in defense (after four straight top-5 finishes), but the most visible problem is quarterback, now on injured reserve and out for the year. But then came back-to-back incompletions, a third-down sack and an 18-yard catch by Anquan Boldin on fourth-and-20, turning the ball over to Arizona with 1:12 left.
The odd game featured 26 first downs by the Cards and a huge time-of-possession advantage (37 minutes to 22) but the Cardinals had fewer yards than the Niners. “We’re going to get everybody’s best shots”.
Whether that was because they couldn’t get open or because Palmer spent half the game running for his life is a question we can’t answer in the immediate aftermath of the game. I don’t care what the league says, I don’t care what Roger says. Starting running back Shaun Draughn gained 86 yards from scrimmage. Armstead did play, however, and registered one of the 49ers’ nine hits on Palmer. “The teasing’s not going to stop”, Palmer said.
Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer scored on a 8-yard scramble to break a 13-all tie midway through the fourth period.
“They probably get it from me”, Arians said.
But the 49ers offense would pick up their disgruntled counterparts, with Gabbert leading a tight end heavy drive that would see him connect on a 48-yard pass to Blake Bell before finding Vance McDonald for an eight-yard touchdown. “We know those guys are going to come out fired up, ready to prove a point”.
The 49ers were flagged for 13 penalties costing them 81 yards on the day, giving QB Carson Palmer and the Cardinals new life while trying to break the 49ers defense, who limited the Cardinals to 328 yards on the day.
That’s exactly what the Cardinals intend to do if they’re to stay on the road to Super Bowl 50. That, at least, has a revenge factor after the Rams beat the Cards in Arizona earlier this season.
Truly good football teams have a way of managing just as the Cardinals did today, but that’s not exactly something you want to submit into evidence in the court of public opinion if you’re charging the Cardinals with being a good team.
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“We are good enough to win without our best”, Arians said.
