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Cardinals at 49ers rewind: Arizona sweeps San Francisco, moves to 8-1

dana scott, arizona republic
·8 min read
The Arizona Cardinals have impressed this season. But some NFL writers evidently haven't been impressed enough.

The Arizona Cardinals (8-1) defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-17 on Sunday for a season sweep of the two games with their NFC West rivals to stay atop the division.

Safety Budda Baker sealed the victory with an interception at the San Francisco 39 with 3:03 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Cardinals backup Colt McCoy replaced Kyler Murray (ankle injury) at quarterback and produced a stellar performance, going 22-of-26 passing for 249 yards and a touchdown. Running back James Conner had a career day, scoring three TDs (two rushing, one 45-yard reception) and rushing 21 times for a game-high 96 yards.

Outside linebacker Markus Golden had three sacks of 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo among his five tackles, and OLB Chandler Jones got to Garoppolo once to become the Cardinals' all-time sacks leader.

49ers FG cuts Cardinals' lead to 14

San Francisco kicker Robbie Gould drilled his first field goal of the game, a 26-yarder with 8:23 left in the fourth quarter, cutting Arizona's lead to 31-17.

Cardinals OLB Golden gets 3rd sack

Markus Golden loves to use the word "hunting" when he describes his pass rush attitude to reporters. In this game he's been a relentless predator of Garoppolo, sacking him three times.

The Cardinals' outside linebacker got his second sack with 6:26 left in the third quarter on first-and-goal from the 7.

Then Golden got his third sack with 13:52 left in the fourth quarter on second-and-8 from the Cardinals 34.

ASU alums Benjamin, Aiyuk get TDs

Arizona State is being well represented in the end zone by former teammates Eno Benjamin and Brandon Aiyuk during this Cardinals-49ers game.

The Cardinals' Benjamin rushed for his first NFL career touchdown on second-and-8 for 21 yards at 8:05 in the third quarter.

On the following 49ers possession, former ASU wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk elevated high to catch an 11-yard TD pass in the back of the end zone on third-and-goal at 3:56.

Aiyuk and Benjamin were first and seventh round draft picks by the 49ers and Cardinals in 2020, respectively.

Both teams' extra points were good, and Cardinals lead the 49ers, 31-14.

Conner's third TD pushes lead to 17

James Conner is doing it all today on a career day for himself.

The Cardinals running back scored his third touchdown of the game on a 45-yard pass from Colt McCoy on second-and-8 from the Cardinals 45 with 13:33 left in the third quarter.

That play was his longest TD play and the first three-TD game of his NFL career, and was his first scoring reception of the season.

Conner has an NFL-high 11 TDs this season.

Extra point was good. Cardinals lead 49ers, 24-7.

Chandler Jones gets Cardinals all-time sacks record; Arizona up at halftime

This Cardinals-49ers game had a wild first half. And it all happened without Cardinals top star players Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins playing today.

Arizona executed an awesome 33-yard trick play that led to a TD, coach Kliff Kingsbury strangely got into a shouting match with one of the 49ers players, the Cardinals forced and recovered two fumbles, and Chandler Jones became the team's all-time sacks leader.

Jones tackled Jimmy Garropolo, the second sack on him today, at 1:21 left on second-and-5 for a loss of six.

After Jones made the sack, he pulled up his jersey to show his shirt that has photo of the late Freddie Joe Nunn, who held the record Jones now holds. Nunn had 66.5 and Jones now has 67. Nunn passed away on Oct. 16. That was his first sack since he had five in the Cardinals' season-opening win over the Tennesee Titans.

Then the 49ers scored their first touchdown on second-and-goal when Garropolo threw a six-yard pass to TE George Kittle.

Extra point was good, Cardinals were up 17-7 at halftime and they got the ball to start the second half.

Kingsbury penalized; Cardinals FG

Kliff Kingsbury received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for verbally sparring with 49ers cornerback Josh Norman.

It occurred during a Cardinals drive after Colt McCoy threw a short pass left to wide receiver Rondale Moore with 6:47 left in the second quarter on third-and-18 at the 49ers 19. After Moore was tackled by CB K'Waun Williams for a loss of two, Norman and offensive lineman D.J. Humphries were seen talking trash to each other, and the 49ers were handed an taunting penalty that moved the ball 11 yards (half the distance to the goal).

However, Kingsbury and Norman got into it, and Kingsbury's penalty was for 15 yards. That slowed down Arizona's drive, and Matt Prater ended it with a 26-yard field goal on with 4:05 remaining in the half. That put the Cardinals up, 17-0.

Another 49ers turnover

Jimmy Garropolo threw a 22-yard pass to WR Brandon Aiyuk up the middle and landed at the Arizona 8 on first-and-10 at 12:34 in the second quarter. Cardinals ILB Isaiah Simmons forced a fumble on Aiyuk as he tackled him and Cardinals MIKE linebacker Jordan Hicks recovered it at the Arizona 7.

That was the second recovered fumble by Hicks.

Cardinals score 2nd TD after 33-yard trick play

The Cardinals pulled off the best play of this game thus far to double their early lead.

On first-and-10 from the 49ers 34 with 1:11 left in the first quarter, QB Colt McCoy was in the shotgun and pitched a lateral pass to WR Christian Kirk, who came from the left slot. As Kirk rolled to the right sideline, he threw a 33-yard pass to WR Antoine Wesley, who came across the middle to the right corner and caught it at the 1 before he was taken down by 49ers safety Tavon Wilson.

Officials ruled that he was short of the end zone. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury challenged the call, but replay review showed that Wesley never broke the plane of the end zone with the ball. One play later, though, Connor scored from the 1 for his second touchdown of the game and a 14-0 Arizona lead.

Cardinals' Conner rushes for game's 1st TD

Following the Cardinals' forced fumble of San Francisco tight end George Kittle early in the first quarter, Cardinals RB James Conner scored his ninth rushing TD of the season. The 13-yard TD happened at 6:08 on first-and-10.

Extra point is good by Matt Prater. Cardinals lead 49ers, 7-0

Murphy Jr. forces fumble on 49ers' Kittle

On first-and-10 at San Francisco's 32 with 10:36 left in the first quarter, 49ers QB Jimmy Garropolo threw a short middle pass to TE George Kittle, who caught it at midfield. Kittle ran until Cardinals CB Byron Murphy Jr. punched the ball out his grip, forcing a fumble. The ball was recovered by Cardinals inside linebacker Jordan Hicks at the Arizona 43.

Cardinals RB Edmonds, LG Pugh injured

Arizona's starting RB Chase Edmonds was seen holding his left ankle after the Cardinals first possession. Edmonds limped off the field and headed to the locker room to be evaluated. He's questionable to return.

Cardinals starting left guard Justin Pugh was seen walking slowly during the team's second possession. He went to get checked out by trainers and is being replaced by Sean Harlow.

Golden maintains team-high with 7th sack

Markus is not just good, he's Golden on the pass rush.

The Cardinals outside linebacker got his team-high seventh sack of the season as he tacked 49ers QB Jimmy Garropol on San Francisco's opening drive at the Arizona 46 on third-and-10 for a loss of four at the 13:28 mark of the first quarter.

Murray, Hopkins among Cardinals inactives

Cardinals have scratched Kyler Murray and his top target in wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for today's game.

Murray has been nursing an ankle injury since their loss to Green Bay. Hopkins has dealt with a bummed hamstring which limited his playing time in that same game. Both players missed the Cardinals' three practices on Wednesday through Friday, were game-time decisions and were tested for their injuries in pregame warmups.

Murray's absence appoints backup 35-year-old veteran backup QB Colt McCoy to make his first start for the Cardinals in his first year on their roster.

Other Cardinals inactives for today include cornerback Kevin Peterson, running back Jonathan Ward and safety James Wiggins.

49ers inactives are defensive backs Jimmie Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, defensive linemen Maurice Hurst and Charles Omenihu, offensive lineman Aaron Banks, and wide receiver Travis Benjamin.

Cardinals' Hudson returns, right guard shuffle

The Cardinals have veteran center Rodney Hudson back after he was activated of the Reserve/Injured list on Saturday.

Hudson's former replacement Max Garcia, who started in Arizona's Week 6 and 7 wins over the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans, respectively, is reportedly being moved back to right guard.

Garcia was seen by azcentral's Bob McManaman taking pregame snaps at RG with the first-team offensive line in place of its RG starter Josh Jones.

Other Cardinals-49ers game storylines

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals at 49ers live updates