Injuries have contributed to an inconsistent start for the San Francisco 49ers, but the defending NFC champions hope they have turned the corner entering Sunday’s divisional clash with the Arizona Cardinals. From a betting perspective, the 49ers are currently the biggest favorite on the Week 5 slate.
San Francisco (2-2) got a few key pieces back last week, and it showed in a convincing 30-13 win over New England. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle were welcome sights for quarterback Brock Purdy, while Jordan Mason continued to fill in admirably for Christian McCaffrey. Mason is second in the NFL with 447 rushing yards and will certainly get his opportunities against an Arizona defense that has been gashed in back-to-back games.
Kittle is questionable for Sunday’s game, though.
Stopping teams, in general, has been an issue for the Cardinals (1-3), who have lost to the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders since obliterating the Rams in Week 2. Last week, Arizona gave up 42 points in the loss to Washington. Besides Mason, the Cardinals also have to contend with Purdy, who is second in the league with 1,130 passing yards despite the injuries around him.
Getting off the field on third down will be key for both defenses, considering the early-season struggles in this department. San Francisco is allowing opponents to convert nearly half of the time on third down (46 percent), with the Cardinals just a tick behind (45.5 percent). The big difference is that the 49ers’ D has offered more resistance overall and just recorded six sacks and three turnovers against the Patriots.
One of those takeaways was a pick-six by All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, who then left the game with an ankle injury. It’s not considered serious, so perhaps the tide is starting to turn for San Francisco when it comes to injuries. That’s not a good sign for Kyler Murray and the Cardinals, who also have lost four in a row against their NFC West rivals.
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Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers odds
How to watch Cardinals vs. 49ers
- Venue: Levi’s Stadium — Santa Clara, Calif.
- Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Expert picks for Cardinals vs. 49ers
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(Photo of Jordan Mason: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
