Golden Nuggets: It's divisional time

Good morning Niners Nation! I'm sure we all are ready to get that stinker that was the Pittsburgh game behind us and move on to Arizona. I do think the Niners can handle this, though I still don't know what kind of team we have. The Vikings were pretty convincing in their win over Detroit in week 2, while the Niners seemed to have scheme issues the entire game. I think the loss is more on the game plan than it is on the actual talent. I don't know how many times you need to run the ball to realize it isn't going to work, and I have no idea why, when you are presented with a questionable secondary that is Pittsburgh, you don't let your QB go to work on them and see at least what he can do.

I don't care if it was garbage time. Kaepernick looked pretty good when they let him throw it. So...let him throw it! It boggles my  mind why they didn't let him throw more to start the game. And it's even more stranger that a year ago I'm mad that they DID run the ball.

Pat's thought of the week:

Besides the Kaepernick highlights (I guess) and the loss, there is one thing I noticed. Jim Tomsula is NOT Mike Singletary 2.0. If Singletary had a loss like we just had, you'd have a guy on the podium giving a deer in headlights stare with no idea exactly what the other team did. It'd be a lot of, "That's on me" and "I have to go look at the film". Tomsula owned the loss, and also highlighted a lot of what each team did to win and lose respectively. I know that this doesn't seem like a big deal, but it at least tells me the guy isn't in over his head. Is he incompetent? I dunno. We'll have to wait on that one (I think both are two different things). We can all safely say we have a lot of talent on that roster, but it isn't the same as the roster that Singletary led to 6-10, with Jim Harbaugh taking 13-3 the following year. It's a young team. I do want Tomsula to succeed, only because having Super Mario for a coach is nothing short of awesome in my book, but I do like how he's conducting press conferences and how he speaks. He at least shows he knows something about what's going on, which we didn't really get with Singletary. And yes, he's butchered a few attempts at the podium, bringing Joan from payroll into the mix (what did she do to anybody) but I just see a bit more intelligence from Tomsula. The season is still early, and lots of teams suffer losses like this and land in the Super Bowl. New England did it last year.

Let's get to the links!

A Ray McDonald Update: Ray McDonald Pleads Not Guilty To Rape

I'm not sure when ESPN hired Captain Obvious as a reporter, but here you go: Cardinals can start taking control of NFC West with win over 49ers

Quick injury report for all of you: 49ers injury report: Bush 'doubtful' to face Cardinals (Maiocco)

For those of you who need another primer on where to watch the game: Where to Watch 49ers vs Cardinals

I can't play DraftKings or FanDuel since I'm a Washington resident and we have a gambling commission, but for those who can, here's a roundup of the expensive players on DraftKings: Most Expensive 49ers vs Cardinals players on DraftKings

Hyde doesn't have any bad blood on Sunday's low hit. Good. Hyde not fuming over low hit; Bush doubtful for Arizona (Barrows)

Just read this, and laugh after: Jarryd Hayne’s goldfish has a higher profile than the Rugby World Cup, writes Richard Hinds

Bush may be out, but Australia doesn't know that yet: Jarryd Hayne may not play against Arizona Cardinals

What a horrible night to have a curse...