6 Biggest Takeaways From 49ers' Week 3 Win Over Cardinals

Another win.

The San Francisco 49ers are 3-0 after defeating the Arizona Cardinals in an unnecessarily close win, 36-30. A few mistakes factored heavily into the game, including Eddy Pineiro's extra-point misses.

Still, the 49ers pulled out a win, which is all that matters. Let's dive into the six biggest takeaways from the 49ers' Week 3 win over the Cardinals

Brock Purdy continues to flourish

It was a hot, cold, and hot performance from Brock Purdy in this game. He went from connecting nicely with his receivers to focusing too much on Mike Evans to icing the game on the final drive.

Most importantly, he didn't put the ball in harm's way. Purdy looks so comfortable dropping back to pass. It's the most comfortable he's ever looked.

It's almost like he's going through a practice session. He's operating like a wily veteran, which is amazing for the 49ers. He's delivering and taking care of the ball. What a solid start to the season.

Mike Evans injury

Everything was looking great for Mike Evans in this game. His hip injury didn’t seem to be an issue, and he continued to prove why the 49ers signed him after his beautiful touchdown catch.

Unfortunately, he suffered a rib injury in the second quarter, causing him to exit the game. He didn’t return after that. Evans was seen grimacing in pain. And maybe struggling to breathe?

It was scary and odd to see, especially since the play he came up on hurt; he didn’t receive a significant hit. Maybe it was from the earlier hit delivered by Budda Baker. His injury will be a hot-button issue to monitor.

Jordan Watkins carving a role?

During the week, Kyle Shanahan mentioned that Jordan Watkins asked him how he could suit up on game day. That’s a coach’s dream for a player to show how much they care.

Sure enough, Watkins got his first call-up today and was sweet. He may have only tallied two catches, but he made them count.

Both of his receptions were for 60 yards. Watkins was a first down and an explosive play waiting to happen. A performance like that is sure to earn him a role in the offense moving forward.

George Kittle reminder

I wanted to take this time to remind everyone that George Kittle tore his Achilles tendon eight months ago. He should be on the mend from that injury right now, like most players.

Instead, he's suiting up and having a significant impact as if he never sustained an injury. He proved that today with amazing contributions, especially since the 49ers needed him after losing Evans.

Kittle reeled in six catches for 82 yards and two scores, including the game-winning touchdown. What an incredible player he is.

49ers’ pass rush expectedly poor

With Nick Bosa out with a calf injury, the 49ers' pass rush was bound to decline. This game proved it, as they were expectedly poor.

Jacoby Brissett operated with the utmost comfort. He was rarely in any danger whenever he dropped back to pass. It was ugly to watch.

This game acts as a reminder to the 49ers that they can't rely on anyone to step up. They need to make a trade if they want their defense to make stops.

Bend but don’t break

Without a pass rush, the 49ers have become a "bend but don't break" defense. They kind of already were before Bosa was out.

But now, it's not debatable. Their defense is too flimsy. They were the sole reason the Cardinals were in this game. If they had managed to generate more stops or turnovers, this game would have never been close.

The 49ers' defense will be a concern this season.

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