49ers-Cardinals preview: San Francisco, C.J. Beathard get “do-over” in Week 8
By Chris Wilson
Week 8 by the numbers
After the Cardinals were able to luck their way into a victory in Week 5, Arizona’s coaching staff did little to improve the team’s bottom-barrel offensive attack over the following two weeks.
The Cardinals were able to stay within striking distance of the Minnesota Vikings for a portion of Week 6 thanks to a defensive touchdown, but the game was soon put out of reach due to Arizona’s inability to score points — or sustain drives after failing to convert any of their 12 third-down or fourth-down attempts.
Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy didn’t have a plan for the struggling Denver Broncos in Week 7, as Arizona found themselves in a 32-point hole by halftime. After Denver completed their blowout victory over the Cardinals, head coach Steve Wilks finally fired stopped the bleeding by firing McCoy, and replacing him with Cardinals quarterback coach Byron Leftwich.
While Leftwich, who was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 draft, was a bust as an NFL quarterback, many think he has a bright future as an NFL coach. Although Leftwich is unlikely to implement significant changes on Sunday, the 49ers should expect an improved offensive attack from the Cardinals — simply because it would be a challenge for Arizona’s offense to be any worse.
Three weeks after these two teams first clashed, the Cardinals still have the worst offense in the NFC, and rival only the Buffalo Bills as owners of the worst offense in the NFL. The Cardinals’ passing game ranks 31st in the league, while their rushing attack is the NFL’s worst unit, per Football Outsiders.
Over the 2018 season, Arizona has accumulated the fewest yards of offense in the league, and the second-fewest number of points, despite the fact that nearly a third of the NFL’s teams have played fewer games.
The Cardinals’ defensive unit isn’t a pushover, but without the ability to move the ball or score points on offense, Arizona will need the 49ers to make multiple mistakes in order to put points on the scoreboard.