Stopping the Run is Key for the 49ers to Defeat the Cardinals

Beating the Cardinals doesn't appear to be an easy outing as originally thought for the 49ers.

Arizona is coming off a huge upset win over a strong Cowboys team. While it was only their first win of the year, the Cardinals have been scrappy in all of their contests. They are not a team who appears to be tanking. The 49ers must not fall asleep at the wheel like the Cowboys did.

For the 49ers to defeat the Cardinals, they are going to need to stop the run. That is key for them to give themselves a clear path to victory. It is surprisingly their greatest strength. The Cardinals are ranked No. 6 in the league for rushing yards per game at 156.3. Much of that is thanks to the effectiveness of James Conner.

"I think No. 1, Conner runs the ball hard, very determined guy, makes a lot of people miss after contact," said defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. "And again, the offensive line doesn't get enough credit. They do a great job with their gap schemes, opening up holes, getting on the perimeter, getting to the second level. So, they create a lot of problems.”

Discipline and aggression are going to be what leads the 49ers into stopping/slowing down the Arizona rushing attack. Through three games, the 49ers have had a solid run defense. Albeit, they haven't faced a really threatening rushing offense like the Cardinals. This will be the 49ers' first real test to see if their run defense is legit.

The reason the Cardinals have been so scrappy even in their two losses is thanks to the run game. They are not a soft team, which is an important trait to have when facing the 49ers. And now, the Cardinals are coming off an impressive win that can instill inspiration.

“They were two plays away from beating Washington, they were up on the Giants and lost that football game," said Wilks. "So we've talked as a staff, this unit right here could easily be 3-0, so we’re definitely not taking these guys lightly at all. It's going to be a good football game.”

If the 49ers cannot, at least, slow down the run game of the Cardinals, then this will be a closer game than ever imagined. Time to see where the 49ers stand with their run defense.