Instant replay not kind to Cardinals

The Cardinals scored only one touchdown in their victory over the 49ers on Sunday, but they thought they should have had at least one more.

In the second quarter, running back Andre Ellington caught a 12-yard pass from Carson Palmer in the end zone for what officials ruled a touchdown.

Upon replay, however, the call was reversed. The Cardinals kicked a field goal on the drive.

In overtime, Palmer hit receiver John Brown with a 25-yard pass in the end zone. The pass was called incomplete, but it was reviewed. Replay showed Brown might have had both feet inbounds.

There’s no “might” about it, Brown said.

“I was in,” he said. “I did the toe drag. They robbed me out of that touchdown. But we won. That’s all that matters. I practice it all the time, and coaches tell us every day we practice, ‘Know where you are, know where the sideline is.’ I knew where I was the whole time.”

After two consecutive penalties, the Cardinals won the game on the next play with Palmer's touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald.

Splitting time

Brown missed the last two games with a quadriceps injury, and fellow receiver J.J. Nelson is playing through a hamstring injury.

On Sunday, they split time.

“He and J.J. alternating on their bad legs was big for John Brown,” coach Bruce Arians said. “We need both of those guys healthy, and then we can be dangerous.”

Nelson caught three passes for 34 yards, and John Brown had three for 47.

The 49ers also were called for illegal use of hands and pass interference while trying to defend Brown.

“Having John Brown back out there really was something special,” receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. “He probably had 40, 50 yards in hidden yardage."

Back in the mix

Inside linebacker Deone Bucannon didn’t return to action as the hard-hitting tackler that’s haunted opposing offenses ever since he debuted with the Cardinals in 2014, but he was excited to be back on the field with his teammates Sunday.

“I feel good,” Bucannon said. “Just a couple little things. I just gotta get back trusting it. I haven’t played football in eight, nine months. As far as that goes, I feel like I feel good. I’m just glad we got the win. I’m just happy to come back, all the camaraderie and things like that. I’m going to be fine.”

Bucannon had been sidelined since suffering severe ligament damage in his ankle last season in Week 14. After getting activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list ahead of the season opener, he rolled his ankle the next day – further delaying his return.

He managed just one tackle against the 49ers and was pleased with the defense’s play – especially late in the game.

“We made a big emphasis that in that fourth quarter, that’s when we gotta rise up,” Bucannon said. “The first three quarters, we were lights out the last three games. I wasn’t in there, but at the same time, standing on the sidelines, you could see a lot of different things. Every single game, these guys they’re flying around. I’m just happy we came out with the win and we played all four quarters.”

Holden starts

The Cardinals' top two left guards are out with injury, and rookie Will Holden started there on Sunday.

Holden played tackle at Vanderbilt and was used as a third tight end the previous two weeks.

“It was a whirlwind, for sure, ups and downs,” Holden said. “I said I wanted an opportunity to play more, and I got it this week.”

Scary moment for Hoyer

49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer can breathe a sigh of relief now, but during San Francisco’s second possession of the third quarter, he took a hard hit form the Cardinals’ Chandler Jones and immediately thought the worse:

That both his knee and his back were severely injured.

“At first, I was nervous because my knee ended up being in a compromising position and everything is bent back over your knee,” he said. “Then, almost immediately, my back locked up – I think from being stretched that far back. Those muscles got stretched so far, and it just locked up.”

Hoyer, who suffered a torn ACL in the past, had to leave the game, but it was only for one play. Rookie C.J. Beathard, the only other quarterback on the active roster, handed the ball off to Carlos Hyde during his one-snap appearance, and Hoyer returned.