The No. 1 thing the 49ers proved in their win over the Cardinals

This win sets up the rest of the season

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws the ball against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Nov. 16, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brock Purdy returned, and more importantly, returned to form in a 41-22 blowout victory over Arizona. Purdy was 19-26 for 200 yards and three TD’s for a passer rating of 133.5. The game was essentially over at halftime as the offense moved the ball consistently.

On the first passing touchdown, Purdy recognized man coverage and changed the play at the line. George Kittle beat the single coverage sideline and went in for the score. That play made an important statement: that Purdy is back and Kittle is back in peak game shape.

If Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon is fired after the season, this game will be a big part of why. 17 penalties, breaking the 89-year-old franchise record of 16 going back to the 1936 Chicago Cardinals. Three turnovers. A team all year that has suffered injuries, stayed in games, but kept coming up short. The Cards didn’t stay in this one.

For the Niners, the win puts their playoff chances at 83% by some national estimates. The task is straightforward, win the games they are favored in, and they’ll get to the post-season.

Game Balls

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Brock Purdy - He looked like his old self as a passer, but the runner is hesitant. With the offense firing on all cylinders in this game, they’ll be brimming with confidence going forward.

Purdy had a defining test on a 3rd and 3 rollout where he could have run for a first and chose to throw the ball into traffic. He didn’t go past the line of scrimmage all game; the Seattle scramble where he got injured is still in his head. Purdy will need to move past that. Soon. Purdy has to be an elusive, opportunistic QB for the Niners to win big games. That wasn’t needed in this matchup, but it will be needed down the stretch as the offense must carry this team.

Christian McCaffrey – three touchdowns, 121 yards of total offense, at over six yards per carry. He had his longest run of the past two years, 20 yards, albeit in garbage time. With Kittle back, with Spencer Burford and Ben Bartch rotating at left guard, the offense is the best it has looked all year, and McCaffrey is succeeding as a result. Only Brandon Aiyuk’s return remains.

George Kittle – To me the offensive MVP in his role as blocker, receiver, and red zone target, Kittle had six catches for 67 yards and two scores. His second touchdown was a brilliant play design from Kyle Shanahan. Christian McCaffrey drawing attention at the goal line going left to right, Kittle freeing himself in the back running right to left, wide open for the score.

Skyy Moore – His 98-yard return of the opening kickoff set an immediate tone for the Niners that they maintained all day long.

Deommodore Lenoir – His pick was a perfectly timed jump on the ball and then a heady return that nearly took the ball in for a score. The secondary was torched in the stats, but in a blowout, the numbers are deceptive.

Big Picture

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It’s hard to evaluate the defense when the game is an early blowout and the Arizona offense keeps shooting itself in the foot with penalties. Curtis Robinson had 12 tackles; Dee Winters, ten. Nick Martin found a get out of jail free card and was third in tackles with seven.

The secondary was fried. Lenoir and Malik Mustapha had picks, but the Arizona receivers won constantly. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson combined for 25 catches and 310 yards.

With no sacks from the defense and few pressures, blitzes did not get home. In a blowout, stats are inflated as the opponent abandons the run, but while the game was in doubt, the Niner secondary was getting beat.

With Martin finally on the field, he will need to be utilized in blitzes, along with Chase Lucas. Robert Saleh doesn’t blitz often, but when he does, he must send speed.

Carolina next week represents a threat since the Niners have not proved they can stop the run and Rico Dowdell is on a tear.

The offense getting close to 100% will be the rising tide that lifts all boats. The defense will get needed rest. However, the defense has to find a way to get home and create pressure. How Saleh does that, I don’t have answers beyond sending faster blitzers, but he’ll need to find one. Last in pressure rate, last in sacks. That has to change if the Niners hope to advance in the playoffs.