Cardinals Visit 2-0 49ers in Week 3 NFC West Matchup on Fox
The short version
- Arizona (1-1) visits San Francisco (2-0) in Week 3 at Levi's Stadium; kickoff 1:05 p.m. MST on Fox.
- San Francisco leads the all-time series 38-31; Arizona is 11-9 against the 49ers over the past decade.
- Marvin Harrison Jr. has one catch through two games; Arizona has the second-fewest explosive passing plays in the NFL.
- Brock Purdy ranks first among qualified quarterbacks in EPA per dropback; Mike Evans and Demarcus Robinson are banged up.
- Yahoo Sports predicts a 31-20 49ers win.
Arizona (1-1) looks to rebound from a lopsided loss to Seattle against a San Francisco team off to a dominant start at Levi's Stadium.
The Arizona Cardinals travel to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3 of the NFL season. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. MST with national coverage on Fox and radio coverage on 98.7.
The Cardinals enter at 1-1 after a stark contrast across their first two games. A promising opener gave way to a demoralizing blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. The 49ers, meanwhile, are 2-0 and off to a dominant start, entering the game as heavy favorites.
The most recent meeting between the teams came last November in Glendale, where San Francisco won 41-22. Arizona fell behind 13-0 inside the first six minutes and never recovered, though quarterback Jacoby Brissett tied the single-game record with 47 completions.
San Francisco leads the all-time series 38-31, but Arizona has had its greatest divisional success against the 49ers over the past decade, going 11-9 in that span and sweeping the season series in 2024.
The coaching matchup carries plenty of familiarity. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur worked under Kyle Shanahan from 2014 to 2020, including four years as San Francisco's passing game coordinator. Arizona defensive coordinator Nick Rallis drew on that background after LaFleur was hired, looking for answers against Shanahan-tree playcallers. 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who coached with LaFleur in Atlanta, is described as one of LaFleur's closest friends in the industry.
Arizona's biggest question is an offense that has produced the second-fewest explosive passing plays in the NFL through two weeks, with an explosive pass rate of 3.3 percent. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has just one reception this season, the least productive two-game stretch by a top-10 drafted wide receiver since Mike Williams nearly a decade ago. The ground game ranks 28th in yards before contact, and pass rushers Josh Sweat and Walter Nolen have combined for a 4.6 percent pressure rate, per Pro Football Focus.
Injuries shape both sidelines. San Francisco may be without wide receivers Mike Evans and Demarcus Robinson, potentially leaving KhaDarel Hodge and Jacob Cowing in larger roles. Arizona's secondary lost Will Johnson for the season, and Garrett Williams has yet to play as he recovers from a torn Achilles. Brock Purdy, who ranks first among qualified quarterbacks in expected points added per dropback, has helped the 49ers absorb a wave of offensive injuries.
Matchup trends favor San Francisco, which leans heavily on play action and two-running-back sets, areas where Arizona has struggled. The Cardinals have allowed 10.9 yards per attempt on play action this season, and they have had difficulty against 21 personnel packages over the past two seasons. Rallis praised Purdy this week, calling him an elite quarterback with special arm talent and an ability to escape sacks. Yahoo Sports predicts a 31-20 49ers win.
Global Sportscast's schedule lists Cardinals-49ers for Sunday, September 27 at 4:05 PM EDT at Levi's Stadium, airing on FOX.
Games to watch
