49ers vs. Cardinals: 5 Players to Watch for San Francisco in Week 10
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: WR Quinton Patton
Is it weird to think wide receiver Quinton Patton might be an X-factor on Sunday against the Cardinals?
Patton’s looks have notably increased since quarterback Colin Kaepernick took over. He had six catches on nine targets for 106 yards in the 49ers’ Week 9 loss to the New Orleans Saints. It’s clear he has a bit more of a rapport with Kap than his predecessor, Blaine Gabbert.
And Patton has decent numbers against the Cardinals too — seven receptions for 93 yards, second only to the Los Angeles Rams.
With Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson likely matched up against No. 1 wideout Torrey Smith, Patton will likely have fellow Cardinals corner Marcus Cooper assigned to him. Despite leading Arizona’s defense with three interceptions, Cooper is posting a 49.0 pass-coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
San Francisco needs to ask itself whether or not Patton will be worth keeping around in the long run. So opportunities like these are of the utmost importance to the inconsistent wide receiver.