SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOOTBALL: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS

BY ADAM GREENE

If Prime Video struck the deal to broadcast this game in the offseason, it probably felt like they were getting one of the best games of Week 16. Unfortunately, apocalyptic injuries hit the San Francisco 49ers right as they were trying to play during the actual apocalypse. They bring whatever team they can put together on a week’s notice to Glendale, Ariz. Saturday when they face the Arizona Cardinals, a team trying to close the deal on a playoff run.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (-5, O/U: 48.5)

Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.

Kickoff: Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m. EST

Broadcast: Prime Video

THE HISTORY

In spite of playing each other since 1951, most of the history between the 49ers and Cardinals has occurred after 2002 when the NFL re-aligned. Arizona was taken out of the NFC East and moved to a new NFC West and since then the two franchises have played twice a season. They’ve never met in the playoffs.

San Fran leads the all time series 31-27, but this has been a match up dominated by the Cards over most of the last half decade. The 49ers have won just three games over Arizona since 2014 with the Cardinals claiming 10 in that same span including eight straight from 2015-2018.

Their last contest was in Week One of this season, with the Cards enjoying a 24-20 come from behind victory in the fourth quarter. Kyler Murray threw for 230 yards, a touchdown and a pick and rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown. DeAndre Hopkins caught 14 passes for 151 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns. Raheem Mostert rushed for 56 yards, caught 95 yards worth of passes and a touchdown. Neither man will suit up for San Francisco Saturday afternoon.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-9)

With backup QB Nick Mullens going down with an injury, the 49ers were down to one healthy QB to start Saturday, C.J. Beathard. They did add Josh Rosen from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad and, frankly, that was a smart move. He might be the best quarterback on their roster this next August when everyone is healthy. San Francisco has dropped three straight including a 41-33 shootout loss to the Dallas Cowboys last week. Mullens threw for 219 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Beathard, coming in late, threw for 100 yards and a TD. Kendrick Bourne caught four passes for 86 yards and a TD. Brandon Aiyuk had nine catches and a score.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-6)

Arizona has won two straight to get their playoff run back on track. Last week they knocked off a hot Philadelphia Eagles squad 33-16. Murray threw for 406 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Hopkins, who has had to deal with some media drama this week over his practice habits, caught nine passes for 169 yards and a score.

THE PICK

The fact that Hopkins has invoked Allen Iverson this week bodes ill for the 49ers, who were torched by him last time. Arizona can all but seal the playoff deal with a win over a depleted San Francisco team this week and needs to do it with the Los Angeles Rams coming up on the schedule in Week 17. Cardinals 24, 49ers 13

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