The San Francisco 49ers showed some signs of life on Thursday, but before long it was more of the same as they lost to the Arizona Cardinals by a final score of 33-21. The 49ers drop to 1-4, while the Cardinals divisional hopes gain a little bit of life.
The 49ers actually managed to take the lead in what was an ugly first half. The two teams combined for nine straight punts to open the game. On the tenth drive, Blaine Gabbert found Jeremy Kerley four times and it ended with a touchdown. However, the Cardinals quickly responded to tie the game head into the half.
You could feel the wheels starting to come off when Chris Davis fumbled the kickoff to open the second half. The Cardinals turned it into a touchdown, thanks in part to Rashard Robinson getting flagged for running into the kicker on a field attempt. That was a sign of things to come.
The 49ers fell behind 21-7, but then managed a touchdown on a very solid drive from Gabbert. They went 82 yards on 11 plays, and capped it with a Carlos Hyde touchdown. The 49ers forced a punt, and momentum seemed to be on their side. However, Gabbert decided that was the time to stare down a receiver and throw his second interception of the game. The Cardinals turned that into a field goal, and later added a David Johnson touchdown to put this one away.
The 49ers scored a late touchdown on a Blaine Gabbert quarterback keeper, but this game was not pretty for most of the night. There were some positives at times, but the inconsistency was maddening. There were a few passes where Gabbert looked good, but there were way too many where he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. It was more of the same. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Up next
The 49ers have a little extra rest due to the Thursday game. They will head east to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. The Bills opened the season with a pair of losses, but have salvaged things with two huge wins. They pounded the Cardinals in Week 3, and then went on the road to Foxboro to shut out the Patriots in the last game before Tom Brady returns. Buffalo is facing the Rams in SoCal this weekend, so we’ll be keeping an eye on the.