Can the 49ers play the Cardinals every week?
The Cardinals used to be the 49ers’ in-division bugaboo. San Francisco might have been the better team, but Arizona had their number.
Now it’s the Niners putting up big numbers on the Cardinals.
After a near-flawless offensive game earlier this season in Santa Clara, the 49ers turned in another elite offensive performance in Arizona in front of a partisan Niners crowd to win the NFC West again.
The Niners averaged 7.8 yards per play, put five offensive touchdowns on the board, and remained perfect against the NFC West this season with a 45-29 win, setting up a massive Christmas Day showdown with the Baltimore Ravens at Levi’s Stadium.
Here are the studs and duds from the game:
STUDS
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Christian McCaffrey
» It wasn’t his finest game. It really wasn’t.
He still scored three touchdowns and had a season-high 187 yards from scrimmage.
But when we saw McCaffrey’s bursts, they were spectacular.
McCaffrey scored two touchdowns through the air and one on the ground. Sunday’s game was just another testament to the running back’s all-time versatility.
The three scores gave him seven touchdowns against Arizona this season. The Cardinals will be seeing McCaffrey in their sleep.
Brock Purdy
» Pushing it deep. Hitting receivers in stride and in their facemask.
Purdy put on a quarterback clinic on Sunday, throwing for 242 yards and four touchdowns.
It’s hard to imagine anyone playing the quarterback position better than Purdy on Sunday, and yet you could argue the last time the Niners played Arizona, he was even better.
He’s the NFL’s MVP heading into the season’s final three games. What a time to be alive.
Charvarius Ward
» The 49ers’ first pick-six since Week 5 of last year was a brilliant individual effort. Ward was floating in space, baited Kyler Murray into a throw, cut in front of McBride, and took it to the house.
His groin seemed healthy to me. He was singeing the grass under his cleats.
For good measure, Ward picked off Murray again in the fourth quarter, showing great hands on an overthrown ball.
The 49ers’ offensive line
» Purdy had all day to throw. McCaffrey wasn’t touched on many runs until he was five yards past the line of scrimmage. Is Arizona’s defensive line bad? Absolutely. But the Niners’ offensive line gave them no quarter. Sunday was as good of a game as they’ve had all season.
DUDS
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Fred Warner
» It needs to be called out: This was not a good game from Warner. It was, unquestionably, his worst game of the season.
The middle linebacker is, generally, responsible for stopping the run and stopping the opposing tight ends in the pass game.
The Cardinals ran for more than 200 yards, and Cardinals tight end Trey McBride was the Cardinals’ only receiver of note, catching 10 passes for 102 yards.
Warner’s struggles started early and didn’t improve: The 49ers’ linebacker was burned by McBride for a deep pass on the first drive of the game, and then missed a tackle on James Conner, setting up the Cardinals opening touchdown.
Warner also missed a key tackle on Emari Demercado’s 49-yard touchdown run.
The Niners’ defensive play was not Super Bowl-worthy Sunday. It’s not something to freak out about, but you have to start the blame game for that with the captain.
Javon Kinlaw
» There’s a reason the Niners try only to use him as a pass rusher. Snap after snap against the run, the 49ers’ defensive tackle was pushed back three to five yards.
If you’re wondering how the Cardinals ran for 234 yards Sunday, you can look there, too.
This is why the Niners pay Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave big bucks.
Randy Gregory
» He hasn’t made an important play in weeks — he’s the third option at defensive end opposite Nick Bosa, and it feels as if he’s only playing because of his one-time reputation.
But all that didn’t stop him from making an impact Sunday.
For all the wrong reasons, of course.
Gregory, likely angry that he was nowhere near the quarterback, threw Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson well after the play had left the backfield.
And sure enough, Johnson fell right into the back of Nick Bosa’s legs.
Bosa did return to the game, but the incident highlighted a larger point: Gregory has been more of a liability than an asset to the 49ers since he arrived in the Bay.
If Gregory can toss around an offensive lineman, he should do it when it matters. If he can’t, the Niners should consider making him inactive.
Ronnie Bell
» I know Ray Ray McCloud is out, but surely there’s another option on punt returns than Bell.
The rookie’s predilection towards bobbling the ball is a disaster waiting to happen.
