49ers vs. Cardinals final score: 49ers hang on thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo to win 28-25

Final Score:

The Cardinals made it a game late with an 88-yard touchdown pass, but then the offense, thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo put together some first downs to kill the clock and get the monkey off their backs. 49ers win it 28-25. They are 8-0

Fourth Quarter Scoring Update:

The Cardinals hurry up offense is sure taking a lot of time. Six minutes into the fourth quarter and they have a field goal. It’s 28-17 and the 49ers just need a long drive to put this thing away.

Scoring update

Um, Cardinals. I know the 49ers have a running game and trying to stop it is a good idea. But Jimmy Garoppolo is kinda. Well...good. But hey, your funeral. 28-14, 49ers

3rd quarter scoring update:

The Cardinals are the first team in a while to not give up and put together a pretty nice and speedy drive to get themselves within seven points of the 49ers. It was good playcalling and reads by Kyler Murray.

The 49ers are back on the field and the Cardinals are just daring Garoppolo to throw it. He’s happy to oblige after that first half. It’s 21-14, 49ers

Scoring updates up to the second quarter

Sorry folks, we’ve had some technical difficulties with the internet tonight so we were slow to get things. I’ll give you all a brief update of everything:

The Cardinals got off to a touchdown on their first drive. This was thanks largely in part to the refs missing a holding call on a 30+ yard Kenyan Drake run, the subsequent false start, and then a weird horse collar tackle. Another holding call after all that yardage allowed a run into the endzone and then there’s a score. The 49ers offense stalled a bit, but then Jimmy Garoppolo tee’d up on the Cardinals defense and started making some sexy throws. No, not play action throws that everyone seems to say he depends on to be good. Throws like this touchdown to George Kittle:

And then this tight throw to Kendrick Bourne on a drive where Garoppolo when five for five

The Cardinals are trying to make something on offense and while it’s mildly interesting, the 49ers are akin to Dragon Ball Z’s Freeza. Up till now they may have been able to remain in their base form, but the Cardinals may have ordered them to go to their second evil form. But the 49ers would have four more forms—or volumes—of the offensive playbook before you can get worried.

Overview

The 7-0 San Francisco 49ers are traveling to Arizona to take on what has been the monkey on their backs for years: the Arizona Cardinals. This will be a Thursday Night Football game with a 5:20 start time. The FOX crew will be present with Joe Buck announcing, Troy Aikman on color and Erin Andrews on the sidelines.

There has been no stopping the 49ers so far, they now have their best record under Kyle Shanahan and they have yet to lose a game in 2019. Every week the question is who have they beaten and then the next team on the schedule will bring them to reality. Well, they keep throwing teams and the 49ers keep compiling victories. They just beat the tar out of the Carolina Panthers 51-13. A team that many thought could humble the 49ers. The 49ers are getting more targets on their backs as they collect more wins, but they couldn’t be more motivated. This Cardinals team has pulled wins, sometimes out of nowhere, on the 49ers since 2015. Even in 2019 when the Cardinals finished with the worst record in the league, they still managed to beat the 49ers. Twice. The 49ers will look to put a stop to this losing streak and go to 8-0. They have been riding on a strong and creative run game thanks to Kyle Shanahan’s playcalling, but quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s potential has not yet been realized due to said running game.

The fact the 49ers have a lights-out defense has helped as well, thanks to the rise of Nick Bosa at edge rusher and Emmanuel Moseley at cornerback. All the sudden the 49ers defense, something that couldn’t finish working itself out of a wet paper bag in 2018, is now closing games with exclamation points.

The Arizona Cardinals are starting to get some footing. While the offense under new head coach Kliff Kingsbury and quarterback Kyler Murray had its share of question marks, there are moments that you can see the identity this team is trying to establish. Just one problem: they are young at many positions and lacking playmakers in even more due to some injuries. The Cardinals are also coming off a brutal loss to the New Orleans Saints. One where Drew Brees returned and tee’d up on the Cardinals defense to beat them 31-9. Not good. Despite throwing 0 TDs, Kyler Murray threw for 220 yards with little help from anyone. Murray may be someone for the Cardinals to build around, they just need another draft to get pieces. The fact they are 3-4-1 says that there is some improvement being made.

This game is even more important with it being an NFC West divisional game. A win here further helps the 49ers cause in winning the division, something they haven’t had since 2012.

The Cardinals running game has taken a hit with the injuries and losses of some players. So they made a trade for Kenyan Drake before the deadline. When healthy, that could be a decent running back room IF that offense can produce.

The 49ers will be going into this without tackles Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. Running backs Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert are questionable as well as tight end Levine Toilolo are questionable

The Cardinals will be without defensive end Zach Allen and running back Chase Edmonds. Running back David Johnson and tackle Justin Murray are questionable.

Nuts and bolts

Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale AZ
Game time: Thursday, October 31, 5:20 P.M., PT
TV channel: FOX/NFL Network
Online streaming: fuboTV | NFL Gamepass | Amazon Prime
Radio: 810-AM, 107.7 (Greg Papa, Tim Ryan) | Full listings
Spanish Radio: KTRB 860-AM (Jesús Zárate, Carlos Ramirez)
Matchup history: 49ers lead series 29-26
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Enemy blog: Revenge of the Birds
Twitter: @ninersnation
Facebook: Go ahead and give us a like! — Join Pat and his beard here at halftime and after the game!
Instagram: @ninersnationsbn

Regular season schedule

Week 1: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:25 P.M., FOX, Sunday, September 8 31-17 WIN
Week 2: @ Cincinnati Bengals, 10:00 A.M., FOX, Sunday, September 15 41-17 WIN
Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:25 P.M., CBS, Sunday, September 22, 24-20 WIN
Week 4: Bye week
Week 5: vs. Cleveland Browns 5:15 P.M., ESPN, Monday, October 7 31-3, WIN
Week 6: @ Los Angeles Rams, 1:05 P.M., FOX, Sunday, October 13 20-1 WIN
Week 7: @ Washington, 10:00 A.M., FOX, Sunday, October 20 9-0 WIN
Week 8: vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:05 P.M., FOX, Sunday, October 27 51-13 WIN
Week 9: @ Arizona Cardinals, 5:20 P.M., FOX, Thursday, October 31
Week 10: vs. Seattle Seahawks, 5:15 P.M., ESPN, Monday, November 11
Week 11: vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1:05 P.M., FOX, Sunday, November 17
Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers, 1:25 P.M., FOX, Sunday, November 24
Week 13: @ Baltimore Ravens, 10:00 A.M., FOX, Sunday, December 1
Week 14: @ New Orleans Saints 10:00 A.M., FOX, Sunday, December 8
Week 15: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:25 P.M., FOX, Sunday, December 15
Week 16: vs. Los Angeles Rams, TBD, Saturday OR Sunday, December 21/22
Week 17: @ Seattle Seahawks, 1:25 P.M., FOX, Sunday, December 29

Fanpulse:

Each week, we send 32 polls to 100+ plugged in fans from each team. 49ers fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.