San Francisco 49ers (1-7) at Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1)
KICKOFF: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz. TV: FOX, Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale.
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1 of 3 | Arizona Cardinals' kicker Chandler Catanzaro stands on the sidelines after missing a field goal in overtime of the Cardinals-Seattle Seahawks game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, October 23, 2016. The game ended in a 6-6 tie. Photo by Art Foxall/UPI | License Photo
SERIES HISTORY: 51st regular-season meeting. 49ers lead series, 29-21. The Cardinals have won three in a row, including 33-21 at Levi's Stadium on Oct. 6. The teams' last meeting in Arizona resulted in a 47-7 blowout in the Cardinals' favor. The 49ers' last win at Arizona was the result of a final-play field goal by Phil Dawson in a 23-20 triumph on Dec. 29, 2013.
GAMEDATE: 11/13/16
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KEYS TO THE GAME: The 49ers have little chance of stopping David Johnson, who rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns against them in Arizona's 33-21 road win in Week 5. So, for the second week in a row, it's all about Colin Kaepernick and his ability to keep San Francisco in the game. One positive: Blaine Gabbert rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers in the first meeting with the Cardinals, so perhaps the door is open for Kaepernick to complement his improved passing game with a few well-timed scrambles.
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Nobody in the league gives up as many rushing yards as the 49ers, who are allowing a staggering 193 yards per game, so you can fully expect the Cardinals to unleash a healthy dose of Johnson. Arizona's second-year running back ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (705) and his eight rushing touchdowns are the second most in the league.
Because the 49ers are reeling, having lost seven in a row and have been unable to stop virtually any type of offense thrown at them, don't be surprised if Bruce Arians makes sure he gets plenty of touches for backup running back Andre Ellington, who hasn't had more than six carries in a game this season. Arians doesn't want to overwork Johnson.
The 49ers' secondary isn't all that bad, but it has allowed 18 passing touchdowns -- tied for the second-most in the league. Carson Palmer will test them early and often.
Defensively, the Cardinals will look to pressure Colin Kaepernick with multiple blitz schemes and try to force him into zone areas where they can anticipate his throws early, which is what they did to him a year ago when intercepting him four times and returning two of the picks for touchdowns.
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MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
--49ers QB Colin Kaepernick vs. Cardinals defense. Kaepernick rushed only five times for 23 yards last week against New Orleans, but the opportunity might be there to use his legs more often this week. That's because the Cardinals have allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL to quarterbacks (226), and only one team (Seattle, three) has given up more than the two rushing touchdowns Arizona has allowed to quarterbacks.
--Cardinals RB David Johnson vs. 49ers defense. The 49ers already have the record for most consecutive weeks allowing a 100-yard rusher (seven), and it's unlikely they'll be able to do much to prevent an eighth. Johnson followed up his 157-yard game against the 49ers in Week 5 with 111 and 113 against two much tougher defenses -- the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: 49ers NT Glenn Dorsey. The 49ers had been bringing Dorsey back slowly from knee surgery until they pressed him into 46 plays of action last week against New Orleans. With defensive end Arik Armstead out and nose tackle Quinton Dial moving outside, Dorsey figures to get another opportunity to make the kind of impact the 49ers envisioned when they wrested the former No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 draft away from the Kansas City Chiefs.
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INJURY REPORT: San Francisco -- Out: LB Aaron Lynch (ankle). Questionable: RB Carlos Hyde (shoulder), CB Rashard Robinson (knee), WR Torrey Smith (back). Arizona -- -Out: S Tyrann Mathieu (shoulder), CB Tharold Simon (ankle). Questionable: LB Alex Okafor (calf).
FAST FACTS: 49ers K Phil Dawson needs three field goals to become the 10th player in NFL history to reach 400. Dawson had three field goals in the Week 9 loss to New Orleans. ... 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick has 2,005 career rushing yards, making him the second QB in franchise history with 2,000. Steve Young was the first. ... 49ers WR Quinton Patton caught six passes for 106 yards last week, his first 100-yard game. ... Arizona QB Carson Palmer completed 35 of 46 (76.1 pct.) for 363 yards and three TDs in Week 8. He has averaged 307.8 yards in the last five meetings, with seven TD passes. ... Arizona RB David Johnson leads the NFL with 1,112 scrimmage yards and the NFC with eight rushing TDs. His eight straight games with 100 scrimmage yards are the most in franchise history.
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PREDICTION: Johnson should run all over the 49ers, as many backs have, and the Cardinals should have an easy time getting back to .500.
OUR PICK: Cardinals, 34-17.
