3 matchups vs. San Francisco the Arizona Cardinals must capitalize on in Week 15

3 - Field position matchup

The last time we saw the Arizona Cardinals face the 49ers, the latter clicked well offensively and for most of the game, they were nearly impossible to stop. It’s no secret the 49ers, who rank third in points for with 380, boast one of the best offenses in 2023, so the Cards must force them deep in their own territory to start drives when punting the ball away.

While it’s not something that will always faze the 49ers, it still increases the odds of forcing Purdy, or even running back Christian McCaffrey into a mistake. However, the Cardinals must take advantage of those rare mishaps to keep this game close, or else the result will look eerily like Week 4’s. 

Overall, San Francisco beats Arizona in almost every matchup, and the three listed here still reside mainly in the former’s favor. However, the Cardinals have put ample pressure on opposing quarterbacks in the past to force them into mistakes, and their running game has also fueled them. 

Winning the field position matchup may or may not help, but it still theoretically gives the Cards defense more opportunities to snag a takeaway if they can’t stop the Niners offense.

(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)