49ers vs. Cardinals: Week 9 Thursday Night Football preview for San Francisco
By Peter Panacy
49ers vs. Cardinals: Week 9 by the Numbers
Statistically speaking, the Niners and Cardinals couldn’t be much further apart than they are entering Week 9.
San Francisco boasts the league’s No. 2 scoring defense, allowing an average of 11 points per game so far this season. And the Niners have given up a combined 23 points over their last four contests.
Meanwhile, Arizona enters this prime-time game with the fourth worst scoring defense, giving up an average of 27.9 points per game.
In many ways, the Cardinals defense is suffering the kind of woes endured by the 49ers a year ago, primarily fueled by the lack of turnovers. Over their eight games, the Cardinals have forced just seven defensive takeaways.
On the plus side for Arizona, however, Kyler Murray and the offense have lost only four turnovers, which ranks best in the league. The Niners, meanwhile, have coughed up 12.
While Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offense has been generating plenty of pass attempts this season, the Cardinals have been far more effective running the ball, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, which ranks ninth best. Murray and his 279 rush yards this season have been major reasons why, and his dual-threat abilities present a unique challenge for San Francisco, the likes of which defensive coordinator Robert Saleh hasn’t had to face much at all this season.