SB Nation - Kurt Warner

Grading The Offense: Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers

Andrew602 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:49:19 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Arizona Cardinals running back Tim Hightower (34) fumbles the ball for the 5th time this season.

You can call it ugly, puzzling, embarrassing, or down right aweful - the Arizona Cardinals offense did everything they could to not win the game on Monday night. They gift wrapped 18 early Christmas presents for their division rival(7 turnovers + 11 penalties), only scored 9 points, and are now looking more like the 4th seed in the NFC playoff picture. This one is still fairly fresh in memory so in honor of the short week, we'll keep it brief.

Kurt Warner: As great as Kurt had been the previous 4 weeks(four 120+ QB rating games in a row), he managed to step on the Monday night stage and show just how much an injury effects a 38-year old quarterback. The hip pointer that Kurt Warner suffered the week before obviously bothered him for much of the game and getting Kurt at 100% should be priority #1 for the Cardinals.

Running backs: Bottom line - this unit had their worst performance of the season. Tim Hightower, Beanie Wells, and LaRod Stephens-Howling each had fumbles at crucial times throughout the game. As a result, the 49ers were given short field position and the defense rarely got a break. The running backs did muster 85 yards at 4.7 yards per carry against a good defense, but the fumbling issues are becoming tiresome.

Wide Receivers: Did any wide receivers even show up? Early Doucet had a team-high 41 yards on the night, which was a pleasant surprise, but the other three big receivers didn't have an impact against a defense without Nate Clements. To be fair, Larry Fitzgerald did miss a portion of the game with a knee injury and it looked like he had a big catch down at the 1-yard line early in the game, but the receivers are a huge part of the offense and need to be incorporated in every game.

Offensive Line: What offensive line? They were out-classed and man-handled by the 49ers defensive line. The 49ers defense had 4 sacks, 5 tackles for a loss, and 5 QB hits. The bizarre part is the Cardinals offensive line played the game of their lives only a week prior to a very good Minnesota Vikings defensive line.

My offensive grade: F-

If the scale went to a Z I'd give them that because this was one of the worst offensive performances we've seen them play in the last 3 years. To add salt to the wounds, it was on a national stage and was against a pesky division rival. What grade do you give the Cardinals offense and why?

Poll

How would you grade the Cardinals offensive effort on Monday?

49ers 24 - Cardinals 9: Fantasy glory for Fooch!

Fooch — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:00:37 -0000

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The only thing better than seeing the 49ers defense absolutely throttle the vaunted Arizona Cardinals offense on Monday Night Football? I found myself down 21 points in my first round playoff matchup heading into Monday night and I had the 49ers defense. 4 sacks, 5 fumbles and 4 2 interceptions later and I get 24 points from the 49ers defense. When you get that many points without a defensive touchdown, you know you got a dominating performance. I'm willing to argue that's one of the greatest comebacks in fantasy history!

It's an hour or so after the game and I am still without a computer. I'm sitting at a Fedex/Kinkos a little buzzed putting this post together and giddy as could be. Using a PC keyboard right now is actually making this a little more difficult than my Mac keyboard. But the important thing is that the 49ers won in fairly dominating fashion and left me highly entertained. For the next week, my posts will come from a variety of public Internet options, so they might be a little shorter than normal. I have access to the USF library so I'll do what I can, but bear with me for the next week or so.

We'll have plenty of opportunities to focus on the 49ers offensive performance. For this post though, let's focus on the defense. Some may argue that the Cardinals offense basically did whatever they could to hand this game to the 49ers offense. To those people I snicker. The 49ers defense put together a performance you will not see very often. First and foremost, we may have seen a breakout performance from Dashon Goldson. He hauled down a beautiful interception, while also providing a pair of huge forced fumbles. Maybe he didn't recover them, but he was a play-making machine. The much criticized Mark Roman had a pair of fumble recoveries. Given his performances prior to this season, that's simply amazing.

All in all, we saw a defensive performance that does not come along fairly often, even when you're playing a crappy team. The 49ers took on a hot Cardinals offense and absolutely shut them down. The dynamic duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin were held to 62 yards on 7 carries. Kurt Warner, who had been fairly dominant in his previous 4 games was fairly easily contained, throwing for 178 yards and 2 picks.

The 49ers need a lot of help if they want to make the playoffs, but we saw a defense perform on a level we haven't seen probably since the Rams game. Given the quality of competition, this was arguably the defense's best performance of the season. As the team heads into what is a monstrous battle in Philadelphia, will they be able to contain an explosive Philly squad, or will we see more inconsistency going forward?

49ers 24 - Cardinals 9: Post game notes and quotes

Fooch — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:23:18 -0000

Due to computer issues I'm stuck using a rent-a-computer at Fedex/Kinkos (more on that in the post for tomorrow I hastily put together). But for now I have some post-game notes and quotes to throw together. We'll start with stats on ALL the turnovers and after the jump we've got some more stats and quotes. We'll use this post to continue the discussion as Andrew's post-game post fills up.

The 49ers defense tied the franchise record as they forced five turnovers in the first half (3 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions). The last time the 49ers forced five turnovers in a half was September 14, 1997, vs. New Orleans (3 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries). It is the first time a team forced 5 turnovers in the first half since September 28, 2008, when the N.Y. Jets forced 5 turnovers vs. Arizona.
The 49ers defense tied the franchise record for most forced fumbles in a game (4). The only other times the defense forced 4 fumbles in a game were November 22, 1998, vs. New Orleans, and September 8, 1996, vs. St. Louis.
The 49ers defense registered three forced fumbles in the first half for only the 5^th time in franchise history. The last time was at Seattle (12/6/09). This also marks the first time in franchise history that the 49ers defense forced three fumbles in a half in back-to-back weeks.
S Dashon Goldson knocked the ball out of the hands of RB Tim Hightower on the Cardinals 9-yard line for his first forced fumble on the day. CB Dre' Bly scooped up the loose ball on the 8-yard line. It marked his first fumble recovery of the season, 6^th of his career.
LB Patrick Willis notched his 3^rd forced fumble of the season (6^th of his career) when he striped RB LaRod Stephens-Howling after a 12-yard reception. The fumble was recovered by S Mark Roman and returned 25 yards to the Arizona 28-yard line. It is Roman's first fumble recovery of the season and the 9^th of his career.
Goldson got his hands on another ball as he picked off QB Kurt Warner on the San Francisco 9-yard line. This marked his team-leading 3rd interception of the season and the 3^rd of his career.
CB Tarell Brown registered his second interception of the season (4^th of his career) as he intercepted Warner just before halftime.
LB Ahmad Brooks sacked Warner and knocked the ball out for his 3^rd sack of the season and first forced fumble. The ball was picked up by DT Justin Smith, marking his second fumble recovery of the season.
Goldson notched his second forced fumble of the game as he striped RB Beanie Wells deep in Arizona territory. The fumble was recovered by LB Parys Haralson, his first fumble recovery of the season and the second of his career.

TE Vernon Davis recorded his 11^th touchdown of the season on a 5-yard pass from QB Alex Smith. Davis becomes only the 9^th tight end in NFL history to register 11 touchdowns in a single season. He also tied the 49ers tight end record with his fourth consecutive game with a touchdown. He joins TE Ted Kwalick (11/12/72 through 12/4/72) as the only 49ers tight ends to accomplish this feat.

LB Ahmad Brooks set a single-game career-high with 3.0 sacks and 2 forced fumbles of QB Kurt Warner. He now has a career-high 5.0 sacks on the season

DT Ray McDonald blocked K Neil Rackers extra point attempt early in the fourth quarter. It marked the first time the 49ers blocked an extra point in the regular season since DT Junior Bryant blocked a PAT attempt by Detroit's K Jason Hanson on December 14, 1998.

RB Frank Gore rushed for 104 yards on 13 carries in the first half. This marks the second time this season that Gore eclipsed the 100-yard plateau in the first half (vs. Seattle, 9/20/09).

WR Michael Crabtree recorded his first touchdown in front of the home crowd on a 35-yard touchdown reception from QB Alex Smith. Crabtree now has two touchdown receptions on the season.

QB Alex Smith

Quickie - Quotes - December 14, 2009

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals

On his impression of the game:

"A great win. You know, it was a must win for us. We came through. Defense played great. Tons of turnovers today, I don't know how many it was, but a lot. They shut them down otherwise. And then I think on offense...offensive line played great up front, we ran the ball. Frank played well. It was kind of a great team victory. We threw the ball well at times, just off a little bit at other times, but all the way around, I thought we executed in all facets of the game and that's why it came out the way it did."

On his two touchdowns passes:

"The first one, you know, defense got us the ball down there in tight, we ran on first down. Second down they were playing man to man, we had Vernon [Davis] isolated outside running a hook route, he did a great job winning, and I let it go, trusted it, and he won. It was tight coverage, he got physical and made the play. And then on the second one, there at the end of the half, we are driving down, rolling, and I hit [Michael] Crabtree on the dig with Vernon coming in underneath and Crabtree did a great job running in there and then made the great catch and finished it off with the run."

On his two interceptions:

"The first one, we were throwing three step drop and the defensive end didn't rush and he jumped to put his hands up and made a play on the ball. Just kind of a freak, unlucky thing. On the second one there in the second half, knowing we are up and trying to run the clock and done a good job there, I think we had a couple first downs and put a little post route in and had the coverage we wanted, it was man-to-man, and the guy jumped on Vernon [Davis] and I came up to throw behind him to Delanie [Walker] on the post and the guy read the coverage and jumped inside, made a good play. Obviously I would like that over again, but just trusted it and letting it go. We will look at on film and try and get better from there. Something we have to get better at. Almost for a second there let them back in and have a chance at the game, so we have to be able to finish there."

On the defense's performance:
"Six turnovers, they played unbelievable all night. Against a team with those receivers, the way they throw the ball, the quarterback there. To be making them in the pass game and the run game, to run up and be physical, causing all the fumbles they did, causing havoc in the coverage looks, they just played tough tonight. I think they were rolling, a lot of confidence. That was great to see. Those guys were flying around and making plays."

On the timing with his receivers tonight:
"I think we were amped up in the first half, we were roaring to go and were off a little bit. Look at the film, it just seemed like a couple throws here and there we were just off in the first half on both ends, my end and the receiving end. We settled down a little bit at the end of the second quarter and there at the end of the game and made some plays when we had to, but I think we are doing well. We have come along, we are maturing. I thought today we just had a lot of energy there to start and missed a couple."

RB Frank Gore

Quickie - Quotes - December 14, 2009

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals

On how he felt on rushing for over 150 yards and helping his team to victory:

"It was great. The last couple of weeks I was very frustrated. I called coach Singletary and he told me to keep sticking with it and we're going to try to get it going. He told me to stay patient and it's going to come. My offensive line did a great job today to help us get in that rhythm and we felt like no one could stop us when we got in that rhythm."

On how he was seeing things out there on the field:

"I just told myself that whenever I get the ball not to press, just go out there and be myself. I told myself to be patient, let things develop and that's what I did."

On getting the win on Monday night football:

"It was great, especially after coming off of a loss last week. We played against a great team who had the chance to clinch the division tonight, but it felt good to get the win."

S Dashon Goldson

Quickie - Quotes - December 14, 2009

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals

On the physical play of the teams' defense against Arizona tonight:

"We knew how physical we had to be and coach Singletary told us the same thing. If we went ahead and put our hats on them then we would create our chances and we did that today, both physically and mentally."

On his aggressive style of play:

"When I'm out there I play with no hesitation in my game. When I see my shot, I take them. Sometimes I miss, sometimes I make them but I'll tell you what, I going to make more than I miss, and I did tonight."

Post Game Reaction: Arizona Cardinals Lose to San Francisco 49ers 24-9

Andrew602 — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:22:53 -0000

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There's not much to say other then the fact that the Arizona Cardinals never showed up to play Monday night. It's clear they were looking past the 49ers and San Francisco came in hungry for a win. The Cardinals appeared flat, starting the game defensively with three penalties. Darnell Dockett forced an early interception but the Cardinals offense couldn't get moving. The real story of the game was ball protection. The Cardinals fumbled the ball 5 times while Kurt Warner threw 2 interceptions. I'll make this qucik, so here are some game notes:

The Positives:

- There weren't many. Beanie Wells took over for Tim Hightower and had mild success running the ball, even scoring the Cardinals only touchdown. But he too, could not hang onto the ball.

- The defense had problems but easily kept the Cardinals offense in the game and gave them every chance to catch up. They came within a score at one point.

- Aside from Michael Crabtree's touchdown, the Cardinals defensive backs limited Alex Smith and the 49ers passing attack. Adrian Wilson had another interception to add to his career total at 21.

That's it, really.

The Negatives:

- The Cardinals offense was never in sync and turnovers really hurt this team like usual. It's no secret that when the Cardinals turn the ball over more then their opponent, they lose. That's what happened tonight when the Cardinals turned the ball over SEVEN TIMES, and it shouldn't be a surprise they lost. Was it a surprise that they couldn't get anything going and Kurt Warner's 120+ QB rating games stopped at four? Yes. Fortunately Kurt Warner has a bad game every now and then and usually bounces back with dominating performances, which is good news with the Lions and Rams coming up.

- The defense only registered 1 sack on the day and had no answer for Frank Gore. 167 yards and 1 touchdown were Gore's final numbers as the Cardinals couldn't contain him like they did in their first match up. No pressure + no run defense=loss.

Final thoughts: These are just my thoughts on where the Cardinals currently stand. I'm obviously frustrated and I can't tell you how much I wanted this win.

The Cardinals are not the division champs...yet. Don't get down on yourselves Cardinal fans. This game wasn't for the division and the Cardinals would have to lose to the Rams and Lions while the 49ers have to head to Philadelphia and beat the Eagles next week.

ESPN and the national media finally gave the Cardinals recognition, but was it too much? I appreciate it as a fan but this team obviously plays better with a chip on their shoulder and when they're the underdog. The 49ers ALWAYS play the Cardinals well and the games usually go down to the last minute. Not to mention, one of the teams usually sweeps the other in the season, there's rarely been a split as of late. I even chalked this one up as a loss before the season started and I'm not surprised the 49ers were the better team tonight.

Before I finish let me say there are certainly more negatives but the main two were stated above. If the Cardinals offense could have got more points on the board and the defense could've played like they did last week, the Cardinals would've had the NFC West won. I'm not happy with a loss but I will happily except any negative criticism from the media. Let's even take it one step further and declare the Cardinals underdogs for the rest of the season and throughout the playoffs, especially if that means getting back to the Super Bowl. What are your thoughts on the game?

Quote of the Hour

GrantC — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:07:39 -0000

In coming to the live MNF post-game show from Candlestick an excited Stuart Scott announced they were in "The City by the Bay... some people call it the 'Yay Area'!"

We're all for SS and his hip hop culture references - the original "Booyah" was legendary - but he's getting too old for this stuff. For starters that "Buck is when internal artistry...." blah blah blah line is straight lame, yet he seems to go to it on the regular - somewhere in Compton Lil C cringes every time he hears it. And now this one is just plain silly - does he know what exactly he's saying?! For out of towners or those not in the know, "Yay Area" is a reference to the heavy local crack cocaine drug business that many believe originated in Oakland - doesn't really seem appropriate for a sports TV show who's hippest star, Steve Young, is a mormon lawyer.

Glad to hear he is finally bumping E-40, but SS may want to run the rap lyrics by his kids before he busts em out on air.

Week 14 Statistical Matchup: 49ers vs. Cardinals

Florida Danny — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:00:20 -0000

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for no team and player rankings posts this past week. I've been working on a special article that will appear on NN in a few hours. For now, here's the matchup preview to prep you for tonight's game.

This one's going to be short and sweet, everyone. Beating the Cardinals isn't rocket science (See "Pass, Defend the"), so - not surprisingly - most of the important statistical matchups are not rocket science either. What made this matchup analysis a tad difficult is that there are several pass-defending game situations in which both the Cardinals' OFF and the 49ers' DEF are really good. So this game might end up coming down to a few strength vs. strength matchups rather than the strength vs. weakness matchups I typically present in the preview post.

Away we go...

TEAM MATCHUP #1: CARDINALS OFFENSIVE TREND

In a file-under-"Duh" moment, this week's "opponent wins when they have performance X" matchup has to do with the ARI pass OFF. Here's a chart showing their game performances thus far this season:

Aside from one exception, the Cardinals' wins and losses this season have depended on a Pass OFF DVOA for the game of 30.0%. If they're over that threshold, they're 7-0; under that threshold, and their 1-4. However, as I said, we don't really need statistics to tell us that slowing down ARI's pass OFF gives the 49ers' the best chance of winning this week's game. But, it's not just the win/loss trend that matters...

After the jump, more stats showing the 49ers' recipe for Monday Night Football victory...

TEAM MATCHUP #2: PASS DEFENSE

You know I like to focus my attention on strength vs. weakness matchups. However, the passing game is so important for ARI that I feel it's important to judge how likely it is that the Niners' DEF will be able to prevent ARI from doing what they want to do in the passing game.

The Cardinals have the 8th-best Pass OFF DVOA in the NFL going into Monday's game, so they're obviously great in a general sense. However, there are two specific offensive areas that make ARI especially dangerous: (a) red zone passing, (b) pass protection; both of which offer the 49ers' an opportunity to nullify an ARI strength.

With regard to red zone passing, ARI is #3 in the league on OFF (DVOA = 55.4%). Nevertheless, the 49ers's DEF is the top-ranked team in the NFL when it comes to Red Zone Pass DEF DVOA (-97.1%). So, it'll be interesting to see which unit - the Cardinals' pass OFF or the 49ers' pass DEF - ends up having the upper hand when Kurt Warner and company pass the ball in the red zone.

Another reason ARI's pass OFF is so dangerous is because their OL is stingy when it comes to allowing sacks. Specifically, the Cardinals' OL ASR is 4.5%, which is good for 6th-highest in the NFL. Fortunately, for our beloved team, the 49ers are ranked 7th in defensive front 7 (DF7) ASR.

So, to recap, it's obvious that the Cardinals' pass OFF is the straw that stirs their drink. Two key areas in which they're particularly good are in the red zone and in pass protection. It turns out that these two areas are actually defensive strengths for the 49ers: they're among the top 8 in defending them. Therefore, what we have here is the proverbial "irresistible force meets an immovable object" matchup. A Niner victory tonight might depend on their ability to remain "immovable."

TEAM MATCHUP #3: PASS OFFENSE

Each of the past 2 weeks, I've advocated a Niner OFF that passes the ball early and often. Against the Jaguars and Seahawks, my advocacy was based on each of these teams being horrible in pass DEF. This week, the statistical matchup against ARI once again suggests a pass-heavy OFF, but for a different reason: it's highly unlikely that SF will be able to run the ball effectively against ARI. Here's a handy table that, I think, succinctly illustrates this point (bold = top 8; italics = bottom 8):

	SF OFF		ARI DEF
Statistic	Value	Rk	Value	Rk
Rush DVOA	-5.8%	25	-13.1%	7
Overall ALY	3.23	32	3.62	7
C/G ALY	3.22	31	3.68	9
RT ALY	2.53	31	3.04	3
Power Success Rate	59%	23	52%	4
Stuffed Rate	24%	31	27%	1

How's that for an argument against trying to run the ball against ARI? If I had to pin down the most damning evidence in the table, it would have to be the Niners' disadvantageous matchups in C/G and RT ALY. Taken together, these two run directions have comprised 83% of all Niner RB carries this season, which means that ARI's DF7 is best where SF runs most. I don't know about you, but it's kind of the definition of "bad strategy" to implement a tactic that's likely to fail - and miserably so - 4 out of every 5 times you do it. Therefore, "good strategy" would be to avoid this disadvantageous matchup as much as possible. In other words, now is not the time to overreact to the SEA loss; keep passing the ball, please.

PLAYER MATCHUP #1: VERNON DAVIS VS. ARI PASS DEF

By now, it's apparent that the 49ers' pass OFF goes through Vernon Davis. Nevertheless, here's one more stab at it: VD's 101 targets this season are nearly twice as many as the 49ers' most-targeted WR (Josh Morgan, 59). So, when thinking about what the Niners want to do on OFF, "getting the ball to VD" seems to be tops on the list.

Luckily, for the Niners, the Cardinals' DEF is ranked 23rd in DVOA vs. TEs (18.6%), and give up an average of 7.4 yards per TE target (ranked 21st). Obviously, the Niners are going to pass the ball to VD regardless of the matchup, but these stats suggest they have a real opportunity to be especially successful doing so against ARI. Equally obvious is the conclusion that exploiting this matchup is going to have a big impact on whether the 49ers come out of tonight's game with a win.

PLAYER MATCHUP #2: MICHAEL CRABTREE VS. ARI PASS DEF

Although he's behind Morgan in total targets this season (56 vs. 59), Michael Crabtree is only slightly behind VD in targets per game (8.0 vs. 8.4), meaning that Crabtree's the 2nd-most-involved pass catcher on the team. So, though it's a little less obvious, the 49ers' pass OFF heavily involves Crabs.

And as was the case with VD's matchup against ARI's pass DEF, Crabtree's matchup is favorable to the 49ers. That's because the Cardinals are ranked 30th in DEF DVOA vs. #1 WRs (24.2%), and they give up an average of 9.0 yards per #1-WR target (ranked 26th). So, if the Niners can exploit this matchup, we might get to witness a break out of Crabs tonight. To boot, when combined with VD's matchup, December 14, 2009, might be remembered as the day that The Tainted Twosome spread across the nation...if the Niners can win thanks to their matchup advantages.

PLAYER MATCHUP #3: TIM HIGHTOWER VS. SF PASS DEF

It's been a while, so you may not remember that Tim Hightower had 12 catches for 121 yards in the 49ers' Week 1 win over the Cardinals. Add on 2 incomplete Warner passes that were intended for Hightower, and you find that about 30% of ARI's pass OFF in that game went through their pass-catching RB extraordinaire.

This ARI strategy against the SF pass DEF will probably continue in tonight's game because of something you're far likelier to remember: The 49ers have been getting shredded all season by screens, checkdowns, and dumpoffs to RBs. In terms of DVOA, the Niners' pass DEF is the 6th-worst in the league at defending RBs in the passing game.

Given that the Niners won the first ARI game despite Hightower's prolific receiving day, you might think that this matchup won't have a big impact on winning this game. However, I'll offer a word of caution.

The Week 14 San Francisco 49ers are not the same team that they were in Week 1, and neither are the Week 14 Arizona Cardinals. The formula for beating ARI in Week 1 - DEF and chewing up clock - fit perfectly with what SF was back then. Similarly, ARI's early-season sleepwalking on OFF - they had 2 negative OFF DVOAs in their first 3 games - gave SF a perfect opportunity to implement said winning formula. Since then, the Niners' OFF has - to its benefit - become a more pass-heavy unit, and the Cardinals' OFF has returned to its 2008 form with 9 straight above-average DVOA performances.

So, my point here is that, whereas the first game - as reflected by the 36 total points that were scored - played right into the 49ers' hands, the second game looks to be a high-scoring, gun-slinging affair. If that happens, then heavy involvement by Hightower in ARI's passing attack will play a bigger role in the game's outcome.

My biggest fear in this game is that ends up being like the late-blooming kid who gets beat up by the bigger kid in middle school. If the fight happens a few years down the road, when the kids are the same size, maybe the late-bloomer wins; but, in middle school, the big kid's got the advantage. Similarly, if tonight's game turns into a shootout, ARI's the big kid right now, while the Niners are the late-bloomers. Maybe next season, SF's pass OFF is on par with ARI's, and a shootout is a fair fight. In Week 14 of 2009, however, that kind of game pits men (ARI pass OFF) against boys (SF pass OFF).

MISCELLANEOUS MATCHUPS

SF OFF while winning vs. ARI DEF while losing...Not that any of us are expecting a Niner blowout victory, but ARI's DEF presents a bad matchup for the 49ers' "lose from ahead" OFF. Although they've gotten better the past couple of weeks, they're Winning Big OFF DVOA of -26.7% is still ranked only 29th, while ARI's Losing Big DEF DVOA is a 10th-ranked -11.8%. So, if the Niners do jump out to a lead of 8 or more points, don't expect it to last very long.

SF Shotgun OFF vs. SEA Shotgun DEF...Here's one final reason why I don't like the Niners chances in a shootout: ARI's DEF has already faced a whole heck of a lot of shotgun this season (41.7% of all defensive snaps, 7th-most), and they're pretty decent at defending it (Shotgun DEF DVOA = 4.3%, 13th). Considering how the Jaguars' DEF was ranked dead last against the shotgun and the Seahawks' DEF was ranked 27th, this game is going to be the toughest test yet of the 49ers' new-fangled "Danny-Gun" OFF.

Also, as I've mentioned before, one of the benefits of more shotgun is that the Niners' OL pass-blocks better. Unfortunately, ARI's current ASR ranking (5th) is considerably higher than either JAX's (31st) or SEA's (19th) was when the 49ers played them. So, again, this game presents an opportunity for SF's OFF to show that "more shotgun" works against a real NFL DEF.

BOTTOM LINE

Based on the statistical matchups, here are the keys to a 49er victory on Sunday:

Slow down the straw that stirs ARI's drink: their pass OFF.
Remain immovable on pass DEF in the red zone.
Pressure Kurt Warner.
Prevent efficient receptions by Hightower.
On OFF, pass, pass, pass. The result might be a shootout loss, but doing the opposite makes a blowout loss more likely.
Pass the ball to the Tainted Twosome as much as possible.
Show the entire nation - not just Niners Nation - that their new shotgun OFF works against a real NFL DEF.

*DVOA & ALY statistics used to produce this article were obtained from Football Outsiders.

Poll

Should the 49ers scrap the shotgun FOR THIS GAME ONLY and instead use the same ball-control game plan that they used to beat Arizona in Week 1?

All Eyes On The Arizona Cardinals Tonight

Andrew602 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:24:52 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

The Cardinals defense has turned up the heat during national prime-time games.

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The Cardinals have been impressive in their last two prime-time games, and for the second week in a row the nation will be watching them in their match up with the San Francisco 49ers. Do they have something to prove? Maybe. After a gut-wrenching loss to the 49ers week 1, many players are ready for redemption. With the recent struggles in the NFC West tonight's game should be proof that the Cardinals are not just a product of the division.

A Cardinals win tonight would not only lock up a division title for the second year in a row, but it would also provide a sense of relief. Losing two games to a division rival in one year is hard enough, and if the Cardinals want to establish themselves as one of the Super Bowl contenders this year, this is a game they should win.

This is a team that has seemingly played better in front of the nation beginning with their improbable playoff run to the Super Bowl last season, and their last two Sunday night games this year. They did struggle in week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts in a Sunday night game, but the Colts are also 13-0 and 12 other teams have fallen at the hands of Peyton Manning. As you can see, the Cardinals have been more balanced in two of their wins on national TV, and also have a +3 turnover differential.

Prime-time Games	Tot Yds	Pass	Rush	Run Att	TO	Sacks	Opp TO
Loss vs Colts	323	299	24	12	3	0	1
Wins vs MIN/NYG(avg)	343	250.5	92.5	23.5	3	6	6

Winning three games when the nation is watching pads the recognition this team is striving for, but also sends a warning to the other top NFC - the Cardinals are for real.

Tonight however, is only the beginning.

Their next four games are certainly winnable with an opponents combined record of 17-34. With the Cowboys and Giants losing yesterday, securing the #3 seed is the goal and increasing the odds of a second home game in the post-season. We all saw what happened down the stretch last year when the Cardinals secured their division and Ken Whisenhunt will surely have his team prepared this time around to finish strong and confident.

Game notes: This is the 37th meeting between the two teams, with the 49ers holding a 20-16 advantage... Since they became division rivals, the 49ers hold an 8-7 advantage... This is the 3rd straight meeting against the 49ers on MNF (1-1)... With a win the Cardinals would secure the NFC West, have the first back to back post season appearances since 1975, and Ken Whisenhunt would get his 29th win (would be 4th all time! Already!?!)... Larry Fitzgerald needs 56 yards to get to 7,000 career receiving yards (would be the youngest to that mark all-time), needs 62 yards to pass Pat Tilley for 4th all-time in Cards franchise history, and needs 31 yards to reach 1,000 yards for the third straight season (franchise record)... With 3 TDs Kurt Warner would reach 100 with the Cardinals, only the 2nd player to throw 100 TDs for two teams... Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have accounted for eight 100-yard receiving games against the 49ers, who are without Nate Clements tonight and are ranked 27th in pass defense in the league... Cards are favored by 3.5 points.

Arizona Cardinals' Road To Elite Status

Undrafteds — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:22:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

10 days ago: Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin (81) dives for a touchdown as Minnesota Vikings' E.J. Henderson runs in late to defend in the second quarter during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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As we prepare for the Cardinals-49ers Monday Night Football matchup, with a chance for Arizona to claim its second NFC West crown in a row with a win, lets take a look back at the season to date to see what we have learned. In the name of reader enjoyment, I'll start with my synopsis, with a skimming of the surface breakdown to follow.

What have we learned? I don't have to tell any of you that we can all watch every snap and come away with very different versions of what we saw. So maybe it is more appropriate to say, what have I learned?

I have learned that the 2009 Cardinals are a new improved version of the 2008 Cardinals. Sounds simple enough doesn't it?

More precisely, the 2008 model was good enough to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history, but inconsistent and unreliable, especially at the most inopportune times such as the excruciating Steelers' game winning drive.

Last year, the teams primary weaknesses, arguably of course, were giving up the big play way too often, not winning on the road, and general inability to run the ball.

This year the Cardinals are not giving up nearly as many big plays on defense, are 5-1 on the road, and have increased their team yards per carry average from 3.5 last year to 4.1.

But it goes further than the numbers.

This team has demonstrated that they are more mature and resilient. Arizona is more focused and physical.

Additionally, key players have simply gotten better with each passing week. An alarming number of players are playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level. Defensively, Antrel Rolle, Adrian Wilson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Karlos Dansby and Darnell Dockett should at least get consideration. Not to mention special teams warrior LaRod Stephens-Howling, punter Ben Graham and kicker Neil Rackers. Offensively, the usual suspects Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald could all be locks for the Pro Bowl.

Forget about the Pro Bowl for a minute though. Calais Campbell, Lyle Sendlein, Deuce Lutui, Reggie Wells and Tim Hightower have all improved.

Don't bother doing the math, I've already done it: that is 13 out of the starting 22 that are either playing at a Pro Bowl level or have in the least improved their game. On special teams, Graham and Rackers have played nearly flawlessly, and LSH has been an upgrade on kick returns and return coverage.

This team has more character, even when they lose. In my not so humble opinion, the Titans game was a huge character win despite the loss. MattLeinart had some things to prove that day, and he did. There were more players making plays in that game than most I've seen. True, the Cardinals again let a QB execute another two-minute drill to perfection—their Achilles heel—and lost the game, but they can't win them all can they?

Finally, I have to talk about head coach Ken Whisenhunt for a moment. He has a methodical, patient approach, and his teams' progress is a reflection of that. In his first season he took an under-achieving talent-laden squad to their first 8-8 record in many moons. Last year they improved to 9-7, but caught fire and made it to their first-ever Super Bowl. This year their weaknesses have been shored up even moreso—defensively they are more consistent and the rushing attack is better—and the Cardinals have cleared yet another hurdle. Now, my fellow Arizona fans, the Cardinals are becoming one of the elite teams in the NFL right before our very eyes.

As I recall the 12 games played to date briefly below, by my count the 8-4 record can be broken down as follows:

Of the four losses, two were respectably played games that ended in a loss (Week 1 vs. 49ers and Week 12 vs. Titans), and two were games that the Cardinals simply laid an egg (Week 3 vs. the Colts and Week 8 vs. the Panthers).

Of the eight wins, all of them had at least two quarters of completely dominating play by Arizona.

The word dominate is used repeatedly on purpose to drive home my point.

1. San Francisco L 16-20 (0-1): Hard fought game, division rival.

It can be said that with the departure of Todd Haley, the flow of the Cardinals' offense wasn't quite in sync with Ken Whisenhunt's first time out calling plays in awhile.

Held Frank Gore to 30 yards on 22 carries.

2. @ Jacksonville W 31-17 (1-1): The Cardinals' nemesis last regular season was winning on the road. In their first attempt, they completely dominated Jacksonville for three quarters.

Jacksonville's 17 points were a little deceiving as it came up against prevent defense.

Held Maurice Jones-Drew to 66 yards on 13 carries, but 36 came on one run.

3. Indianapolis L 10-31 (1-2): After a promising start to the game, this was a poor all-around effort by the Cardinals.

They were flat and out of sorts in all phases for most of the game.

Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Pierre Garçon embarrassed Arizona, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in particular.

4. BYE WEEK

5. Houston W 28-21 (2-2): Arizona again completely dominated for three quarters.

When they went to prevent defense, Matt Schaub and company mounted a comeback.

A goal-line stand by Arizona prevented the Texans from tying to force overtime.

6. @ Seattle W 27-3 (3-2): Arizona completely dominated this game from start to finish.

One of their most complete wins in team history.

Held Matt Hasselbeck to 112 yards passing and Seattle to 14 yards rushing on 11 carries.

7. @ NY Giants W 24-17 (4-2): In a signature win, the Cardinals stymied the Giants who were 5-1 before this game, by forcing four turnovers and holding last year's best rushing team to 107 total yards on the ground.

The Giants could only muster three second-half points.

8. Carolina L 21-34 (4-3): Another poor all-around effort by the Cardinals, who were dominated by the previously stagnant Panthers, in a revenge game.

The Cardinals had embarrassed the Panthers last postseason on their home turf, and the Panthers returned the favor.

Arizona came into the game with the top ranked run defense, but were exploited for 270 ground yards.

9. @ Chicago W 41-21 (5-3): Cardinals rebound nicely by dominating the Bears. It was 31-7 at halftime.

In prevent defense, the Bears got back into the game. Matt Leinart helped them out by throwing an INT on his only attempt, and was immediately replaced with Warner.

10. Seattle W 31-20 (6-3): Seattle gave it everything they had, playing maybe their best game of the season, only to lose by 11 points to a superior team.

11. @ St. Louis W 21-13 (7-3): With Kurt Warner at the helm, the Cardinals were cruising with a 21-3 halftime lead.

He suffered a concussion at the end of the second quarter however, and the still rusty Leinart was unable to lead the team to points.

The defense held strong and mopped up, securing the win.

12. @ Tennessee L 17-20 (7-4): Playing the hot Titans, who had won four straight, without Warner.

Leinart improved, and the Cardinals held a 17-13 advantage with two minutes remaining before Vince Young's now instant classic, 18-play 99-yard drive, won the game on the last play of the game for Tennessee.

An all around well-played game by both sides.

13. Minnesota W 30-17 (8-4): Many pundits weighed in and very few gave the Cardinals a chance leading up to kickoff. The Vikings had been anointed the best all-around team by some, with only one loss in 11 attempts coming in. BrettFavre had only thrown three picks, but threw two in this one. Jared Allen was held without a stat, and Adrian Peterson was held to 19 yards on 13 carries. After giving up a 7-0 lead early sparked by Tim Hightower's fumble on the second play of the game, it was all Arizona.

What are your thoughts on the Cardinals season so far? Do you think they have achieved elite status, or is there still more work to be done?

49ers-Cardinals: Friday Injury Report and Coordinator Transcripts

Fooch — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:46:31 -0000

As this is a MNF game, we'll have the final practice report tomorrow instead of today. No major changes in the practice reports for either team. After the jump, enjoy the meanderings of OC Jimmy Raye and DC Greg Manusky.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Did not Participate in Practice
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
DT Aubrayo Franklin (not injury related)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Limited Participation in Practice
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Full Participation in Practice
SS Michael Lewis (quadricep)
WR Brandon Jones (thumb)

Cardinals
Out (Definitely Will Not Play
LB Will Davis (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
LB Bert Berry (illness)

Limited Participation in Practice
DT Alan Branch (ankle)
P Ben Graham (left groin)
RB Tim Hightower (thumb)
DE Kenny Iwebema (thumb)
RB Dan Kreider (thigh)
K Neil Rackers (right groin)
RB Jason Wright (illness)
TE Stephen Spach (knee)

Full Participation in Practice
OT Mike Gandy (pelvis)

Jimmy Raye and Greg Manusky transcripts after the jump...

Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky
Post Walk-Thru - December 11, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On how he evaluates the play of the trio of LB Manny Lawson, LB Parys Haralson and LB Ahmad Brooks:

"I think it's going well. The last couple of weeks, it has been good with the rotation that we've had. You need a couple of pass rushers, and I think those three guys are doing a pretty good job of getting to the quarterback. It's always nice. The more you have, the better of you're going to be."

On whether it's harder to set up the opponent and get into a rhythm as a pass rusher when you're rotating in and out:

"It's not so much a harder situation. Trying to set them up, yes, I think at times you try to. But, you've got to take what the guy gives you, and that have lately. So, it's been good."

On how he intends to defend WR Larry Fitzgerald without CB Nate Clements:

"Yes, he's always played him well. We don't have him right now, but we'll make adjustments and we've got other guys who have got to step up their game and go out there and play to the best of their abilities and do the job."

On whether it will be one defender or different defenders guarding Fitzgerald:

"It will probably be a little mixed from what we've got going in."

On how Arizona's offense has changed from the first week to now:

"A little bit cleaner, a little bit smoother. I think the offense is playing together, with the quarterback the way he is, he brings them all together. They're healthier than they were the first game with the receivers and stuff. They're just getting used to one another like what normally happens in the 12^th or 13^th game of the year."

On whether he can ask a defender who is not normally physical to be physical with Arizona's receivers:

"I think you've got to do what - you know what to do, especially with the veteran players out there playing against them. We're teaching being physical on the receivers in your hands. Of course you always try to do that when you're playing man-to-man situations. Some of are give and take, depending upon who's playing and who they're matched up on."

On how CB Shawntae Spencer has been playing:

"He's been playing well the last couple of weeks. We're expecting him to do the same thing he's been doing."

On why there wasn't a lot of action going Spencer's way during the Seattle game:

"I don't know. Maybe he was playing lights out. I'm not on the offensive side of it."

On whether he was playing lights out last week:

"He was playing pretty well. He's had a couple of good games. Hopefully he'll continue doing that."

On the growth of Arizona's running game:

"Yes, they've got two hard runners, good sight lines, good vision. The offensive line is doing a good job with Russ Grimm coaching them. He's doing a pretty good job. He was a run-type guy when he was playing. So, they're doing well."

On the risk, reward factor in blitzing Cardinals QB Kurt Warner:

"I think with all those veteran quarterbacks who have played in the league a number of years, and the quality that he's played at, you've got to give and take at times. I think at times you should pressure him, and then other times lay back off. Just like I said, with all the good quarterbacks, they've seen all the looks. They know what they're looking at. Hopefully we'll get pressure on him as much as we can. That's the veteran quarterbacks that you face nowadays in the league. They know exactly what they're looking at. They watch tape and they understand the coverage that they have to beat. They know where they're going with the ball. You've got to play a little cat and mouse with them."

On whether he played with Russ Grimm:

"Yes."

On whether that was in Washington:

"Yes, in Washington."

On whether he's surprised that a Russ Grimm offense passes as much as the Cardinals do:

"It's not his offense. It's [Ken Whisenhunt's] offense. He's the head coach."

On how he would evaluate DT Kentwan Balmer's growth:

"There's always need for improvement across the board, whenever you play, especially for young players. I think he played adequately throughout the whole season. Can he get better? Yes. I think every day that you're out on the practice field, I think he did get better and kept on learning and kept on getting better each and every practice and each and every game. So, it was a disappointment to see that he went on IR because we could always use him, but in this business that happens. So, somebody else has got to pick up the slack."

On whether DT Baraka Atkins is likely to be active against the Cardinals:

"It does not look like it."

On where he envisions Atkins fitting in:

"Atkins? Somewhere inside. We're going to look at him. It's kind of hard around the 13^th or 12^th game of the season to see a guy without any pads on and actually going through practice. So, it's kind of a tough evaluation on trying to get the most out of a guy and see exactly what he is. He seemed pretty good yesterday, had some good movement. We'll see where it goes from there."

On whether he's more of a quick player:

"Yes. In a pass rush situation, what I've seen so far, he looked pretty good."

On whether anything changes in preparing for QB Kurt Waner:

"You've got to cat and mouse him, I think, is the most important thing. There's such a good veteran, wiley quarterbacks that they know where they're going with the ball, they know what coverage they're looking at. You've got to sometimes trick them a little bit and disguise a little bit better. We talk about that each and every week, about the disguise."

On whether he wants to see DT Ricky Jean-Francois on the field before the season ends:

"Yes, definitely. Rick has made improvement throughout the whole year. I always tell you, the hardest position to play, I think, is the defensive line because there's so much technique involved in a short space and time, but he's improved well. Hopefully he can get a couple of reps in there and see what he's got."

On whether he would be on the left side taking over for Balmer:

"Actually, he would be both."

On what kind of coach LB Jeff Ulbrich would make:

"A good coach. He's a student of the game. He understands defenses and his personality and his type are pretty dang good. He'll make a great coach in the league."

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Walk Thru - December 11, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On whether he wants more balance in the offense:

"I look for a lot more balance. I will amend that by saying it does depend on the flow of the game, but balance will be necessary. It is a two-fold reason. One, we need it to create some momentum in the fourth quarter, and making first downs allows us to stay on the field and keep their offense on the sideline. We are evolving towards more balance as we go and hopefully we can get a good mix going in this game."

On whether TE Vernon Davis has been the most consistent player this season:

"Yeah, I would say if you look at it over the full body of work since we started and evolved and keep traveling toward wherever we are going right now, I would say he has been the one constant in the offense. But, as I said back in August and July when we started, we are tight end friendly so I would expect his level of play to keep escalating and his performance to keep going forward."

On whether it is easier for a quarterback to avoid sacks in the shotgun:

"Yes and no. Some of it, obviously, is by design, but he is quicker from the release standpoint. He is already set at five so he has an advantage in being able to see the rush, plus the types of things we are throwing out of the gun, it doesn't require the footwork coordination. That helps when the ball comes out. We have been better that way in terms of the amount of hits he has taken since he started playing and the number of sacks we have given up."

On whether sacks were a factor in going to the shotgun:

"Well to be honest with you, I never really planned to go to the gun. The gun was a part of our offense, the base part of our offense, and as things have evolved, and you can start with personnel first, injury and the addition of personnel and the change of quarterback, there has been a lot of water that has run under the bridge that has caused us to be where we are at this point. Where we are presently is a product of those things in our attempt to win football games and be a competitive offensive football team."

On whether he was referring to the offensive line's injuries:

"Yeah, it has been the line. It has been the back. It has been a number of things. But you do what you have to do and just keep on keeping on."

On whether the offensive line is playing better as a unit:

"Yeah, I think their coordination has gotten better. The other thing that you have to factor into that, since [T] Joe Staley has been hurt, that same five guys have played together since his injury. There hasn't been another change. The biggest thing with us has been continuity - a lack of continuity - and changing of people. The familiarity with the guy in front, or next to, or behind you, that has been since Staley's injury on the second play of the game up in Indianapolis, we have been okay in that unit. Then we lose [RB] Michael Robinson in Green Bay. That one unit has so far been a constant, and I think that has something to do with the players."

On whether he is concerned that Staley's return will disrupt that continuity:

"Yeah, if he comes back we are back again to change. The one thing I told them Wednesday was the only thing that is constant about the NFL is change. There is no other consistent factor in it. We have to adjust to the change and manage that. If he comes back we have to put on our hard hat and try to get our communication back to where it was when he was the left tackle for all those weeks and see if we can get him and [G] Dave [Baas] and [C] Eric [Heitmann] back and grooved as quickly as possible and go."

On how Smith's mechanics have improved:

"When I got here, it seems like a long time ago, he was coming off of an injury so we were monitoring the number of throws he had and we were careful to avoid a setback with him injury-wise. Basically what we worked on was his drops and footwork. We didn't do very much gun stuff because we weren't at that point. But the fundamental mechanics of playing the position were easier to do with him then because of the relative number of throws he was held to. It was more about footwork technique fundamentals as his shoulder mended. He seemed to grasp the teaching of the drops okay. We have tried, and we continue to try, to get him to play compact and he does a pretty good job of that."

On what he meant by playing compact:

"At the end of the drop, not feeling the rush and getting your feet spread out and anticipating the rush and not having a self-conscious tendency to flight or to run or to move. Just stay within the core, the pocket, and stay compact and play quarterback and still remain a passer. He has embraced that and he has done pretty well with it."

On whether making throws right before getting hit is part of staying compact:

"I think that is part of it, yes. I think that is part of maturity because a couple of those throws he made, I can remember one in particular, the color flashed and the instincts, where if you were watching the rush you would bolt, particularly if it is inside. Most guys can handle the edge-rush pressure if it is clean in the A gaps, but if it flashes inside, your natural tendency is to take your eyes from downfield. He has shown that he has no fear knowing he is going to get a full shot, like he did Sunday in Seattle, and staying compact and deliver the ball."

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers: Five Keys To Success

Andrew602 — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:44:13 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

Expect to see a lot of Nine-O on Monday night. He's already twittered that he's fired up for the game.

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The Arizona Cardinals (8-4) take their 5-1 road record to San Francisco to take on the 49ers (5-7) on Monday night. Both teams regularly keep the games close when they play each other, with 7 of the last 8 games being decided within 7 points, and the only game more was the season opener last year (the Cardinals won by 10 but the game was decided at the end).

This year, after a 1-2 start , the Cardinals are 7-2 since and have shown an obvious improvement on offense since the Cardinals lost to the 49ers in the opening week. The Cardinals road success has been a surprise, as they've outscored opponents with an average score 26.8 - 15.1. At home, they're average score is 22.6 - 23.8.

The 49ers have experience the opposite season as the Cardinals. Since they began the season 3-1, they've dropped 6 of the last 8 games. They are currently 4-2 at home, outscoring opponents with an average score of 20.8 - 16.3. They also have had success against quarterbacks at home, holding them to an average rating of 75.24. Luckily, Kurt Warner's average QB rating on the road is 116.8. Let's take a look at five keys to Cardinals success on Monday night.

Protect Kurt Warner.This was what hurt the Cardinals chances at winning week 1 against the 49ers. The 49ers defensive line had the killer-instinct and was able to successfully rush four, while dropping 7-8 in coverage all game. As a result, Warner was sacked 3 times and threw 2 interceptions. The Cardinals may take the same approach they used against the Minnesota Vikings. They were able to contain the Vikings front four, and finally game the offensive line help with running back and tight end support. If Kurt Warner is given time, he can pick any defense apart, especially a 49er defense without top cornerback Nate Clements.
Contain Vernon Davis. That is obviously easier said then done but limiting the 4th year tight end is a huge step in the right direction on Sunday. He caught 5 passes for 40 yards the first time these teams met, but since then Davis has 58 catches for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns. Considering the Cardinals are one of the worst defenses at containing tight ends, they'll want to add an extra eye on number 85 throughout the game. It should also be worth noting that since Alex Smith took over at the midpoint against Houston, Vernon Davis has 40 catches for 513 yards and 7 touchdowns in only 6 1/2 games. Davis is the 49ers best option on offense and taking him out of the equation gives Smith one less threat to throw to.
Keep the defense rolling. The Cardinals defense surprised many when they were able to stifle a dangerous Minnesota Vikings team a week ago. They did so by getting pressure without taking away coverage. They also mixed up their scheme, something we haven't seen a lot of this year. The Cardinals should take the 49ers defensive gameplan and pressure Smith with a 3 or 4 man front. Since Alex Smith took over for the 49ers, in 4 losses Smith's been sacked 12 times. In the two wins, Smith was only sacked twice. If the Cardinals can at least register 4 sacks on the day and force any ill-advised throws, Smith and the 49ers will be in for a long day.
Wide receivers need to have a big game. The last time these teams met, Steve Breaston didn't play and Anquan Boldin was forced to limp into the game on an injured hamstring. Nate Clements, a defensive back for the 49ers that has regularly limited Cardinals receivers in the past - will not play on Monday. That means two of the three receivers will be healthy while Fitz and company don't have to worry about Clements. The offensive play calling is built around the receivers, and if Warner has the time to find them we should see a similar result as last week.
Play a well-rounded game and limit mental errors. In week 1, the Cardinals turned the ball over twice, 12 penalties for 82 yards, were 4-14 on 3rd down, and only rushed for 40 yards. Lately much of those problems have disappeared and the Cardinals should keep it that way against the 49ers. They're rushing has improved, and Beanie Wells is much more a part of the offense then he was in week 1. Kurt Warner hasn't turned the ball over in over a month and they've seemed to lower the penalty issues that plagued them at the start of the season. If the Cardinals can put together a well-balanced performance and keep mistakes to a minimum, they should have no problem hammering the last nail in the 49ers coffin.

If the Cardinals are able to stick to their game plan and not get ahead of themselves, a win shouldn't be too much of a problem in San Francisco. The 49ers usually give the Cardinals a challenge, but if they want to establish themselves as an elite team in the NFL and improve their playoff positioning, this is a must win game. What are your keys to the game and why?