49ers vs. Cardinals: Live Week 10 In-Game Thread & Updates for San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers look to get their second win of the season as they travel to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Niner Noise has your in-game blog and comment thread for this NFC West contest.

The 1-7 San Francisco 49ers hadn’t won since Week 1. And doing so against the Arizona Cardinals, on the road, in Week 10 probably wasn’t going to happen either.

Arizona was 3-4-1 on the season and entering desperation mode to get into the playoffs. A weak Niners team was exactly what the Cardinals need to gather momentum in the second half of 2016.

One of the bigger stories would be how well quarterback Colin Kaepernick performs under center. The last time he was at University of Phoenix Stadium, Kap tossed four interceptions — two of which were returned for touchdowns — en route to a career-low 16.7 passer rating.

Should we have expected a similar kind of performance again?

Maybe. But the majority of the focus revolved around the 49ers’ run defense, which had allowed seven consecutive 100-plus yard rushers. Arizona tailback David Johnson ranked No. 4 in the league with 705 rushing yards on the season. And the Niners defense hadn’t shown anyone it has answers to opponents’ ground games.

At best, San Francisco would hang around long enough not to be embarrassed. In all likelihood, the game would be over midway through the third quarter. It’s a trend seen all too frequently this season.

So stick with us in this Week 10 message board and in-game thread.

First Quarter

San Francisco opened up on defense. And, surprisingly, the defense forced a 3-and-out.

But Kaepernick and the 49ers couldn’t answer, and the Niners were forced to punt without picking up a first down.

Arizona managed to pick up a first down the following drive. But San Francisco cornerback Keith Reaser forced a fumble, which safety Antoine Bethea recovered to give the Niners offense another chance. Yet San Francisco went 3-and-out once again.

The Cardinals managed to drive on the next possession and moved deep into 49ers territory. And Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer found running back David Johnson in the flat for a three-yard touchdown reception to put the Cardinals on top 7-0.

San Francisco’s subsequent drive also led to a 3-and-out. At least the Niners managed to get into positive-yardage territory by this point.

Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley received a Cardinals punt and managed a decent return. But the return ended in a fumble, which Arizona Cardinals.

If it’s not one thing with the 49ers, it’s another.

Second Quarter

Cornerback Jimmie Ward was flagged for a deep 38-yard pass-interference call, which put the Cardinals offense into San Francisco’s red zone.

And Johnson found the end zone on an 18-yard run.

Kaepernick and the 49ers managed to pick up a first down on the subsequent drive. And tight end Vance McDonald added another on a 28-yard pickup.

San Francisco’s first trip in to the red zone ended with Kap finding Kerley for an 18-yard score to put the Niners on the board.

Penalties and a lack of pass rush helped get the Cardinals offense right back into 49ers territory. And it led to an Arizona field goal to push the Cardinals’ lead to 17-7.

Running back Carlos Hyde, who finally returned after missing two weeks with a shoulder injury, was a virtual non-factor over the first half. Surprisingly, the Niners did not elect to give backup tailback DuJuan Harris more looks.

Facing a 3rd-and-long, and pressed up against his own end zone, Kaepernick found wide receiver Torrey Smith for a 21-yard first-down play to keep the chains moving. McDonald also converted on a key fourth-down attempt just before the two-minute warning.

Kap managed to drive the offense into field-goal territory after the Cardinals forced a fourth down.

Kicker Phil Dawson made the ensuing 49-yard field goal — No. 498 of his career. The Niners managed to close the gap 17-10.

Palmer’s two-minute offense went to work just before halftime.

Arizona elected to go for it with six seconds remaining and failed to find pay dirt in the end zone, which led to the Cardinals’ second field goal of the game to close out the first half.

Third Quarter

Ready to read a shocking stat? The 49ers allowed only 48 rushing yards during the first half. And 16 of those were on a Palmer scramble.

The Niners didn’t have to worry about stopping the run opening up the third quarter as they started off on offense. And yet the same offense, which has 13 total points in the third frame all year, went 3-and-out to start the second half.

Unlike San Francisco, Arizona quickly moved into the red zone. Defensive end Ronald Blair managed to force a Palmer fumble, which the Niners recovered — a big break for the Niners.

Kaepernick responded with a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Quinton Patton to push into Cardinals territory. But the drive ended with a Kap sack, and the Niners quarterback didn’t have any receivers open downfield.

Dawson managed a 53-yard field goal — No. 399 of his career.

San Francisco’s defense held the following drive, forcing a punt. Yet the Niners couldn’t respond and punted as well.

Safety Eric Reid managed to pick off a deflected pass to give the 49ers offense the ball back.

But a slew of penalties prevented San Francisco from closing the scoring gap any further. Bradley Pinion came out for his sixth punt of the game by that point.

Fourth Quarter

Arizona continued to use its passing offense into the early stages of the fourth quarter, which was a bit of a surprise. And when the Cardinals tried to run, San Francisco’s defense managed to hold the line leading to a punt.

But the 49ers couldn’t get far past midfield and had to punt yet again, but it pinned the Cardinals inside their own five-yard line.

A key holding penalty against Ward kept Arizona’s drive alive, which led to better field position for the Cardinals. After a key first-down pickup by Fitzgerald, linebacker Gerald Hodges managed to pick off Palmer to give San Francisco the ball back — a huge break for San Francisco.

It was the fourth takeaway of the game for the Niners.

Kap scrambled for a first down on a critical 3-and-8 inside Cardinals territory just before the two-minute mark.

One more scramble from Kaepernick made it a one-point game. Dawson tied it up at 20 apiece.

Arizona managed to move down the field on a two-minute drill and into field-goal range.

And that proved to be the difference as the Cardinals managed a game-winning 34-yard field goal to give Arizona the victory.

Final: 49ers 20, Cardinals 23

Next: 49ers vs. Cardinals: Previewing Week 10 for San Francisco

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