5 Cardinals players 49ers must worry about in Week 9

With a quick turnaround, the San Francisco 49ers won’t have much time to prepare for the Arizona Cardinals. Niner Noise lists the five players they need to key in on for Week 9 on Thursday Night Football.

The San Francisco 49ers came off a convincing victory last Sunday, taming the Carolina Panthers 51-13. It was a performance that had pundits recognizing how strong this Niners team is in 2019. On Nov. 11, the Niners will play on national television against their division rival Seattle Seahawks, a game many say will be the first true test for San Francisco.

But before that high-level matchup, the 49ers have to face another division rival, one the Niners have never beaten in the Kyle Shanahan era.

That’s right, the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals, under rookie head coach Kliff Kingsburry, had the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and opted to choose quarterback Kyler Murray (more on him later), allowing the Niners to select defensive end Nick Bosa.

That decision provides incredible context for the state of the two teams.

The Cardinals currently have a record of 3-4-1, losing their last game to the New Orleans Saints. Before that, though, the Cardinals had won three straight games on the back of a strong offense and impressive defense.

The 49ers have taken care of business against competition which doesn’t stack up to them, but division games can always go sideways quickly. It being an away Thursday Night Football game means a lot is stacked against San Francisco.

Even though the 49ers have a more talented roster, the Cardinals have players who could potentially derail the Niners’ perfect season.

Let’s highlight them now.