In desert, 49ers hope to stay perfect.
Not since 2013
GLENDALE, ARIZ. >> have the 49ers: a.) Won in Arizona. b.) Won a Thursday night game on the road.
c.) Enjoyed an eight-game win streak. d.) Been a playoff team. Tonight, the 49ers (7-0) can change all that, aside from officially
securing a playoff berth, which shouldn’t be far off even though, gosh, half the season awaits.
Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner scoffed at playoff talk Sunday, even after a 51-13 rout of the Carolina Panthers. If ever the one-game-at-a-time cliché was forthcoming, this was it, four days away from a quick turnaround to visit the Cardinals.
“We haven’t beat the Cardinals in, psssh, in I don’t know how long,” Buckner said. “Since I’ve been here, we haven’t beat them. We have a big challenge ahead.”
Buckner is in his fourth year. The 49ers last beat the Cardinals when Jim Harbaugh coached his last NFL game, in the 2014 season finale at Levi’s Stadium.
Their past five Arizona visits:
Sept. 21, 2014: Loss, 2314
Sept. 27, 2015: Loss, 47-7 Nov. 13, 2016: Loss, 23-20 Oct. 1, 2017: Loss, 18-15 (OT)
Oct. 28, 2018: Loss, 18-15 Only four current 49ers are still around from when that skid began. But recent history hasn’t been kind, either. After all, the Cardinals did not win any games last season — except their two against the 49ers.
Here are the 49ers’ five keys to an overdue win here: 1. KEEP DEFENSES BEWILDERED >> Coach Kyle Shanahan’s dizzying display of play calling had the Carolina Panthers defense out of place throughout Sunday’s 51-13 win.
“That’s one of the trademarks of a Kyle Shanahan offense: he’ll give you different looks and dress things up,” said Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, noting how play-action and misdirection movement will keep defense’s off guard “the entire game.”
What a difference that is to 2014, when the 49ers began their string of defeats in the desert. After the Cardinals intercepted Colin Kaeperinck four times in their 40-point win in 2015, a postgame soundbite magnified the 49ers offense’s predictability. “Their passing game has simplified so much,” Mathieu said. “It was easy for us to anticipate routes and just get some good breaks on the ball.”
Mathieu is gone but the Cardinals will be just as hungry to intercept Jimmy Garoppolo (seven interceptions, seven starts).
2. HALT MURRAY’S MOBILIZATION >> Unlike the other quarterbacks conquered by the 49ers, 2019 No. 1 draft pick Kyler Murray is a mobile menace.
It’s not just that he’s rushed for 279 yards (5.5 yards per carry), nor that he had at least 10 carries in three consecutive games before only rushing twice in Sunday’s 31-9 loss at New Orleans.
Murray, at 5-foot-10, moves to create passing lanes. That will be a must with 49ers 6-foot-7 defensive tackles DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead obstructing his view between the hashmarks.
“With the ball always being in the middle, the field will always feel smaller for those guys,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “His speed is definitely a problem and we’ve got to do a good job defensively making sure that we’ve got great angles throughout the day to make sure that we keep him in the shoot.”
3. KEEP DEFENSIVE HARMONY >> Once Emmanuel Moseley and Richard Sherman made interceptions Sunday — those alone matching the 49ers interception total from last season — defenders rushed to the end zone. There was no pick-six to celebrate. Instead, the defense posed for group photos, and Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury took notice upon film review.
“You see those guys, the effort they play with, the juice, the swagger. They’re
celebrating together,” Kingsbury said. “That’s what it’s about on that side of the ball, a swarm mentality.
“You can see when one player makes a play or a sack, they’re all excited for him. It’s playing as one. That’s not easy to build that culture in this league.”
Play-making is contagious. The 49ers are mastering that craft, especially Nick Bosa, who had three sacks and a sensational first-career interception Sunday to win NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this month; his brother, Joey, won the AFC award for leading the Los Angeles Chargers’ win at Chicago. 4. DON’T FORGET ABOUT FITZ >> Name an opponent who’s tormented the 49ers more in the past 15 years more than Larry Fitzgerald. (Note to self: Save this line for next game when Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks visit the 49ers on Monday night, Nov. 11.)
The 49ers have been Fitzgerald’s trampoline toward a Pro Football Hall of Fame bust. In 30 meetings, he has 18 touchdown catches and 11 100-yard games.
He remains the Cardinals’ No. 1 offensive weapon and their leading wide receiver, and because he remains so despite only two catches in the past three games, the 49ers must be on alert for him to strike again.
Sherman has faced the “incredibly cagy, incredibly talented” Fitzgerald in NFC West matchups since Sherman was a 2011 rookie in Seattle. “He made me raise my level as a rookie,” Sherman said. “He’s going to show you subtle tricks,
subtle moves that nobody gives you. And he’s really good at them. That’s why he’s still getting catches at, what is he, 35, 34?” Fitzgerald turned 36 on Aug. 31.
5. PATRICK PETERSON IS LURKING >> Matt Breida (ankle) and Raheem Mostert (knee) are expected to be available, although no one should doubt whether Tevin Coleman can carry the backfield load after Sunday’s four-touchdown spectacular.
Now, if the Cardinals defense clamps down on the 49ers’ red-hot rushing attack, Garoppolo should survey the field to find Patrick Peterson before airing out any pass. Peterson returned from suspension two games ago.
“He’s as talented as they come,” Garoppolo said. “He’s savvy. He’s got eyes on the quarterback most of the time. He does all the right things and you’ve just got to pick your spots, I guess.
“You can’t overdo it, but at the same time, you don’t want to never attack.”
Garoppolo made his NFL starting debut at Arizona in the 2016 opener, subbing for a suspended Tom Brady. Garoppolo rallied the New England Patriots to victory. Did he take on Peterson back then? “I think we had a couple, yeah,” Garoppolo responded. “You’re talking a long time ago now here.”
The 49ers would love to forget about their past visits to Arizona. Winning this one would help.
• The Cardinals’ David Johnson (ankle) is questionable and fellow running back Chase Edmonds (hamstring) is out.