Cardinals season hits new low with another uninspiring divisional loss

GLENDALE — The drove of San Francisco 49ers fans didn’t have to wait long for something to cheer about in their team’s 41-22 dismantling of the Arizona Cardinals. Literally from the opening kick.

One play later, points were already on the board.

In the span of 16 seconds, a lot of that wide-eyed hope for a major 2025 turnaround still floating around was vacuumed through the open roof panels of State Farm Stadium.

And if there was any lingering in the stands, the final 59:44 helped erase that. Yes, the Cardinals entered the matchup depleted due to injuries, but that’s no excuse for the uninspiring football Arizona put on tape.

“We’re on the mat. … When the alarm goes off tomorrow, you better wake up.”

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon fresh off Sunday’s lopsided loss to the 49ers ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/2F2kPXJDtE

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 17, 2025

“I just told them, ‘We’re on the mat. When the alarm goes off tomorrow, you better wake up and come to work and get off the mat,'” head coach Jonathan Gannon said postgame. “That’s what it is. Obviously, disappointing. We’ll work tomorrow and we’ll see why. We gotta clean some things up. Until we do that, we’re not going to win.”

It was truly a one step forward, three steps back showing from the Cardinals, who are headed full steam to at least a top-15 pick and major offseason changes beyond quarterback Kyler Murray as opposed to any sort of playoff appearance in Year 3 under the current regime.

If you thought last week’s blowout loss to a divisional foe was damning, this week’s boat race is right there with it. This is one of those stretches that makes you seriously question the direction of the franchise under this current regime.

The point discrepancy is glaring in its own right, nearly mirroring last week’s debacle. The amount of penalties and poor execution from all three phases only added to the optics of a team unprepared.

At halftime, the Cardinals had more penalties (11) than points (10). That number ballooned to 17 for 130 yards across all four quarters. That’s a franchise record in the absolute worst of ways.

Sloppy is an understatement, especially when points and chunk plays were negated due to flags.

“Give credit to San Francisco, but I think we beat ourselves,” Gannon said. “Any time we had chances to get back in the game, whether that be in the start of the game, first half, second half, we’re beating ourselves right now. That falls on me and we gotta do a better job collectively.”

Offensively, Jacoby Brissett threw for the most yards in his Cardinals tenure (452) and completed an NFL record 47 passes but coughed up the rock behind a pair of interceptions that eventually led to 10 points on ensuing 49ers drives.

Safe to say Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett isn’t focused on his record-setting performance in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers. pic.twitter.com/VUFFn4hijZ

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 17, 2025

An Elijah Higgins fumble at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter only added to the offensive headaches and Arizona losing the turnover battle 3-0.

The run game averaged a paltry 2.6 yards per carry on its way to 36 yards on 14 rushing attempts.

And much like Trey McBride’s massive game last week, not even Michael Wilson’s career day — 15 catches for 185 yards — could turn the tide, largely overshadowed by the issues just about everywhere else.

“The details we’re just not on and I don’t understand how we’re not on those details. It’s us,” Brissett said of the offensive issues. “We have the perfect play called and it’s just the details of what we’re supposed to do that we just don’t do sometimes. That’s the most frustrating part. It’s not the plays. It’s literally us and focusing in on the details when it matters the most.”

Defensively, allowing 35 points before the fourth quarter for a second straight week on top of forcing just two punts through the first three quarters is unacceptable.

Down multiple starters and having a rookie linebacker running the show, the 49ers were going to exploit the deficiencies.

They did just that, with late audibles and shifts that kept Arizona guessing while continuing to spread the ball around the yard.

And while 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw up plenty of interception-worthy balls, Arizona came down with nada.

Special teams wasn’t any better.

The unit was quickly exposed Sunday behind Skyy Moore’s 98-yard kick return to open up the game. Brian Robinson Jr. chipped in a 42-yard return later in the game.

Chad Ryland missing a 58-yard field goal wide left piled onto the issues.

At 3-7, the Cardinals are nowhere near the tier many expected them to be in.

Instead of heading into an important second-half-of-the-season stretch in the thick of a playoff race, Arizona is careening toward calling this season a wrap prematurely and getting a look at more of the depth on the roster.

If the seat wasn’t already getting hot for head coach Jonathan Gannon and the coaching staff, a second lopsided loss in as many weeks is likely cranking up the temperature.

But for now, it’s onto Jacksonville.

“We will get up and have a good attitude and have focus and urgency toward Jacksonville,” Gannon said.

Follow @Tdrake4sports