By: Joe Lami

The San Francisco 49ers (1-1) look to rebound after last week’s eye-opening 43-18 loss to the Pittsburg Steelers.  They travel to take on the NFC West-leading, Arizona Cardinals (2-0) at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After running the ball so well in week one, the 49ers were unable to recreate the magic against the Steelers as Carlos Hyde was only able to muster up 43 yards on the ground before leaving the contest with an apparent head injury that was later reported as a leg injury.

However, although the running game was non-existent, quarterback Colin Kaepernick made up for it and threw for an impressive 335 yards for two touchdowns and a passer rating of 106.7. Although Kaepernick’s performance was an impressive one, the offensive line  showed what was feared going into the season, as they allowed five sacks on their quarterback.

The defense was a nightmare against Pittsburg, as Ben Roethlisburger threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns. Backup running back, DeAngelo Williams also scored three times while rushing for only 77 yards. 

The Cardinals are going to be a defensive nightmare for the 49ers, as they lead the league in scoring, averaging just under 40 points per game. They’ve been keeping a balance passing attack from Carson Palmer and running attack from Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington. Palmer has looked his best since his days with the Cincinnati Bengals and has new life with the NFC West’s most dangerous team right now, as they are currently the favorites to win the division.

Star wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, will be Palmer’s number one target on Sunday as he has 14 catches for 199 yards through the first two weeks. It will be pivotal for the sub-par 49ers’ secondary to be able to shut-down the potential hall-of-famer.

On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers will be going up against the tenth best running defense in the league making it a tall task for Hyde and Jarryd Hayne, as it looks like backup running back Reggie Bush will be out once again with a strained left calf.

However, much of the chances for the 49ers will come from passing the ball as Arizona’s defense is ranked as one of the worst in the league. After Kaepernick’s great performance last week, he will look to add on it and become the consistent quarterback that San Francisco fans have been longing for since he became the starter.

San Francisco has been historically good against the Cardinals with a record of 29-18, with a record of 12-10 at University of Phoenix stadium. With this week being such a huge game for the red and gold, as they can tie the Cardinals for the division lead with a win, it will be crucial for the offensive line to step up and protect Kaepernick. Kaepernick will need to keep his mistakes to a minimum and play like he did last week against Pittsburg to get the victory.

Prediction:

The Cardinals passing game is going to be too strong for the 49ers’ secondary, as Palmer won’t have any issues carving it up on way to the Cardinals 28-13 victory.