49ers Must Defeat Cardinals in Blowout Fashion

“Revenge tour” has been repeatedly talked about ever since the 49ers let their 10-point lead in the Super Bowl slip away.

“Revenge tour” has been repeatedly talked about ever since the 49ers let their 10 point-lead in the Super Bowl slip away. 

Now it is officially time for the 49ers to back those words when they kick things off Sunday in the season opener at Levi’s Stadium against the Cardinals. 2020 is primed and ready for the 49ers to make another Super Bowl appearance, so there will not be anything surprising from them like last season. 

What will be surprising is if they come out and lose on Sunday, or even make it a close game. Given that the vast majority of the team has remained intact, there is no reason they should make this a close game.

In fact, the 49ers must defeat the Cardinals in blowout fashion.

That means that this is a must-win game.

I know that calling a Week 1 matchup must win is not common, but this is a divisional matchup. If the 49ers want to repeat as division champs, they have to take care of business against their rivals, especially a team like the Cardinals who I expect to be a dark horse this season.

Remember, there is only one bye week allotted now in the playoffs, meaning the 49ers need to reclaim their top seed playoff berth for the second-consecutive season. Having that bye certainly tips the odds to earning a trip to the Super Bowl.

All of these are reasons for why this is a must game, but there is a whole other level for why the 49ers have to blowout the Cardinals.

This isn't just a must-win game because of top seeding and it being a divisional game. This is a must blowout win because of all the talk the 49ers have done regarding their "revenge tour". All that talking to come up short or have it be a down to the wire game will prove how unprepared they were.

You can't repeatedly preach about "revenge" and getting back to the Super Bowl by not blowing the Cardinals out of the water. 

Yes, a win is a win and obviously the 49ers will take it and there will clearly be fan satisfaction. 

However, this team needs to destroy the Cardinals. Show everyone how serious you are about the "revenge tour." Show everyone how serious your pain was from choking the Super Bowl. Because if they play around with Cardinals and don't put their foot on their necks, then everything they preached about was just talk.

Being without Deebo Samuel and their top two centers will not suffice as excuses. The 49ers are outright better than the Cardinals. Set the tone for the season with a whopping of a victory because, if they keep it close or even lose that game, then they will have exposed weaknesses to all of the teams on their schedule right from the get.