This afternoon, the San Francisco 49ers will travel to the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona to face the Cardinals in the final game of the regular season. The two teams last met on October 13th at Candlestick Park where the 49ers won 32-20.
Offensively, the 49ers are ranked 24th in the league while the Cardinals are ranked 21st. Defensively, the 49ers are ranked 3rd in the league while the Cardinals are ranked 9th.
The 49ers can't worry about what is happening around them and will face this game as a must-win situation. While the team is guaranteed at least the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs, a victory coupled with a little help from St. Louis and Atlanta could move them as high as the first seed.
The 49ers will look to capitalize on Carson Palmer, who needs just 133 yards to become the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards with three different teams. The 49ers defense has recorded an interception in seven straight games and recorded two against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. They also have 16 sacks during their last five games, which were all victories.
Today's game will also be Anquan Boldin's first game back at Arizona since he left the Cardinals for Baltimore following the 2009 season.
The Cardinals are simply trying to make the playoffs. Despite their 10 wins, they will need a victory over the 49ers and a little help themselves. They need the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to upset the Saints in New Orleans, where the Saints are 7-0 this season, in order to make it in.
The Cardinals have won seven of their last eight games and can tie the franchise record for most wins with their 11th victory, last achieved in 1975.
The 49ers can clinch a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs with a win and Seahawks loss.
The 49ers can clinch the NFC West and the No. 1 seed with a win, a Seahawks loss, and a Panthers loss.
Last week, the 49ers (11-4) defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-24. The Cardinals (10-5) defeated the Seattle Seahawks 17-10, the Seahawks' first loss at home in nearly two years.
The game kicks off at 1:25 PM PT and, as usual, you can visit 49erswebzone.com for the latest news and updates during and after the game.
The game will be televised on FOX. The spread is even.
Within Yahoo! Sports, a popular mobile scores application, 64% of fans believe that the 49ers will win this game.
Within our
Pick 'em contest, 92% of fans believe that the 49ers will win this game.
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49ers Injury Report
Out: WR Mario Manningham (knee)
Questionable: LB Dan Skuta (foot)
Probable: LB Navorro Bowman (wrist), CB Tarell Brown (ribs), WR Michael Crabtree (wrist, ankle), C Jonathan Goodwin (not injury related), RB
Frank Gore (knee), G Mike Iupati (knee), TE Vance McDonald (ankle), WR Kassim Osgood (shin), DT Justin Smith (shoulder)
Cardinals Injury Report
Questionable: LB John Abraham (groin), G Daryn Colledge (back), S Rashad Johnson (ankle)
Probable: DT Darnell Dockett (shoulder), TE Rob Housler (groin), RB Rashard Mendenhall (finger), QB Carson Palmer (right elbow, ankle), T Nate Potter (ribs), LB Matt Shaughnessy (groin), QB Drew Stanton (knee), LB Daryl Washington (ankle)
Article photo by Mark J. Rebilas of USA Today Sports
According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the Arizona Cardinals have signed defensive back Qwuantrezz Knight off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. The move comes as the Cardinals place safety Budda Baker on injured reserve.
"Arizona was very interested in Knight after he was part of SF's cuts to get down to 53 players last month," Barrows noted in a tweet.
The Cardinals, who put S Budda Baker on IR today, signed S Qwuantrezz Knight off the 49ers' practice squad. Arizona was very interested in Knight after he was part of SF's cuts to get down to 53 players last month.— Matt Barrows
Thursday night was a fun one at Levi's Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers cruised to a 30-12 victory over the visiting New York Giants. It was a night that saw wide receiver Deebo Samuel declare himself as officially out of "awful" mode, running back Christian McCaffrey reach milestones, wide receiver Ronnie Bell create some lasting memories, and -- of all things -- Andrew Luck making a return to an NFL field (in full Civil War costume) to take part in a game of trivia.
Let's recap all that and more in this version of 49ers Notebook.
Not awful anymore
Back in June, Deebo Samuel caught some attention with his honest description of his 2022 performance
The San Francisco 49ers improved to 3-0 on the season after a 30-12 Week 3 win over the New York Giants at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Below are several statistics and notes from Thursday's game, which were provided by the 49ers Communications staff.
With The Win...
San Francisco has started the regular season 3-0 for the first time since 2019 and the 9th time in franchise history.
The 49ers have won back-to-back regular season games against the New York Giants [W, 36-9 at NYG (9/27/20)].
San Francisco has won their home opener for the second-consecutive season.
The Niners improved to 22-21 against the Giants,
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters after the team's 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. He provided injury updates from the game.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was in and out of the game due to a left shoulder injury. A reporter asked if the coach was concerned that the injury could be serious.
"I wouldn't think so," Shanahan responded. "I mean, I know he was hurting a little bit, but he was able to play through it, so I think I'll be all right."
The coach mentioned two other players in his post-game injury report.
"[CB Ambry] Thomas, he had a knee," Shanahan said. "He was in and out. After that, [CB Deommodore