Cardinals can’t survive offensive struggles in 16-15 loss to 49ers in Week 3

Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

GLENDALE – In the first two weeks, the Arizona Cardinals were forced to rely on its defense to generate stops at the end of the game. In Week 1, a heads up play by Budda Baker saved them, then the following week has Calais Campbell get the sack on fourth down to secure the win. The Arizona’s struggles on offense put much of the pressure on the defense to get them out of jams, which would happen again vs. the San Francisco 49ers.

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After a safety forced by Campbell, the Cardinals held a two-point lead and had the ball to ice out the game, an opportunity it had the previous two weeks to. Similar to those instances, QB Kyler Murray and the offense couldn’t close the game. Again, the team would have to rely on the defense to make the save, but the third time wasn’t the charm as a 20-yard screen pass put the 49ers in easy field goal position for the 16-15 win and first place in the NFC West.

Arizona’s defense did everything in their power to win this game. It created pressure, forced a turnover, put points on the board but it wasn’t enough to overcome the offense’s shortcoming. Murray went 22-for-35 for 159 yards and a touchdown, while the run game was almost non-existent outside of the Pro Bowler scramble opportunity.

The loss stings worse because of a significant injury to running back James Conner early in the third quarter that forced him to be carted off, leading to the offense to stall even more than before.

San Francisco QB Mac Jones was sensational late. A slow start led to a beautiful finale, driving 63 yards on the final drive to put his team in position for the winning field goal. Jones threw for 284 yards, with former ASU Sun Devil Ricky Pearsall having a stellar day, recording eight catches for 117 yards in the win.

The Cardinals suffer their first loss of the season, and it was a brutal one, losing the division lead and their starting running back.

1st quarter: Cardinals offense can’t convert when it matters

The Cardinals hadn’t scored an opening drive touchdown to start the 2025 season, but looked primed to change that after a stellar kick return by RB Emari Demarcado put the offense at their own 39-yard line to start the game. However, the offense continue with its struggle, as after nearly a seven-minute opening drive, Arizona only recorded 22 yards that finished with a missed 57-yard field goal by K Chad Ryland.

Similar to the team’s previous shortcomings, penalties killed any momentum they had. A false start by Kelvin Beachum and face mask by James Conner ended any chance of putting points on the board.

The offensive gameplan earlier seemed to give Conner touches early. The 30-year-old had six carries for 12 yard and two catches for 14 yards. Of the team’s 20 offensive plays, Conner got the ball on 40% of the time.

The Pro Bowl running back had the offense on his back, but the lack of yards on 1st and 2nd put Arizona in tough 3rd down situations that it only converted two-of-five times in the first quarter.

2nd quarter: 49ers show signs of life

On the final offensive drive for the Cardinals in the 1st quarter, 49ers star pass rusher Nick Bosa was in extreme pain and exited the game. His absence opened the door for Murray and the offense to expand the passing game. San Francisco was getting much less pressure with Bosa’s departure and allowed Arizona to go on their first scoring drive.

Murray with the lack of pressure was able to bide time in the pocket and find his start targets, like TE Trey McBride to convert on a third-down to put the team in field goal range. However, again, the Cardinals weren’t able to convert on third down in the redzone, relying on a Ryland 37-yarder for the 3-0 lead.

In the offense’s first three offensive drive it had eight third downs, and while converting at a 50% clip, it isn’t a recipe for success to find the endzone.

During the offensive struggles, Arizona’s defense was having a sensational performance. The Cardinals only allowed seven yards to the 49ers in the first quarter, thanks to the stellar pressure caused by the front seven. Despite only getting one sack, the front seven was getting in QB Mac Jones pocket and forcing error throws or to get rid of the ball.

However, a Kyle Shanahan run offense wouldn’t be deterred for long, as Jones started to abuse the underneath routes and targeting Arizona’s inexperienced cornerbacks like Kei’trel Clark and Denzel Burke.

Jones threw for over 100 passing yards in the second quarter, targeting one of the few healthy receivers on the roster Ricky Pearsall four times for three catches and 42 yards. The Cardinals defense remained sturdy, forcing third down stops. Despite their effort, the chunk plays were enough on the two offensive drives in the second quarter to get back-to-back field goals and take the lead 6-3 entering the break.

3rd Quarter: Conner injury dampers Arizona’s offense

On the first offensive drive in the second half, Arizona faced a 2nd-and-one opportunity and gave it to its trusted downhill back Conner. The engine of the offense got the first down, but sadly, and wrong landing on a tackle bent his leg and caused a significant injury, forcing him to be carted off the field.

The entire roster went on the field to show their support, which looked to inspire the offense down the field. The Cardinals were inside the 49ers redzone, but a drop by Conner’s replacement Demercado in the flat on third down ended the drive. A catch would’ve surely led to a touchdown and the lead, but Arizona was forced to settle for the field goal.

San Francisco seemed to become aware of its All-Pro running back near the end of the third quarter because the offense was solely going through McCaffrey. After only nine rushing yards in the first half, McCaffrey went for 25 yards on a drive that led to Arizona one-yard line.

The 49ers had four chances inside the five-yard line, including on a fourth and goal, where Jones went to throw it to McCaffrey in the flat. There wouldn’t be a touchdown waiting for the Pro Bowler, instead he was blown up by linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. on a massive hit to force the turnover on downs.

4th Quarter:

The huge fourth-and-goal stop would turn out to be pointless, as the Cardinals offense remained stagnant, nearly almost getting a safety on third down. Deep inside its own territory, Arizona was forced to punt, where San Francisco started in opposing field position.

It didn’t take long for the 49ers to take advantage, as Jones targets replacement cornerback Kie’Trel Clark on Rick Pearsall on a 34-yard pass. San Francisco found the end zone two plays later on a Kyle Juszczyk flat route wide open, after safety Budda Baker bit on the run fake, making it 13-6.

The 49ers would hold the lead for all of 2 minutes and 13 seconds, as the usual methodical Cardinals offense was hunting down the field. The drive started with a massive 32-yard catch by wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who was having a slow day beforehand. San Francisco defense looked to be paniciking, as two plays later, Renardo Green tackled Zay Jones in the end zone for pass interference.

Arizona didn’t take long to find Murray’s favorite target McBride in the back of the end zone to tie the game up 13-13. The momentum fully swinged back to the Cardinals, especially after an interception by cornerback Dadrion Taylor-Demerson on the 49ers next offensive drive.

Despite Arizona not scoring on the turnover, a great punt by Blake Gillikin pinned the San Francisco inside their own five-yard line. The punt would lead to a bull rush by 39-year-old Calais Campbell that forced the 49ers offensive line to hold him inside the end zone and leading to the safety, gifting the lead back to the Cardinals.

Murray and the offense with a chance to secure the win, fell one Zay Jones drop on third down short of achieving that goal. Instead, the 49ers would get the ball back and drive 63 yards down the field for Eddy Pineiro to kick the game-winning field goal.

Cardinals’ offensive line to be tested by 49ers’ front seven in Week 3

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports