4 Instant Reactions as Cardinals' Comeback Falls Short vs 49ers

After a brutal beat down by the Seattle Seahawks last week, how did the Arizona Cardinals respond facing the 49ers in San Francisco?

Not quite well, as the Cardinals fell 36-30 in Week 3.

Players are packing up to head back to Arizona — here's four instant reactions:

Lack of Discipline is Concerning

In a game that came down to an onside kick, the biggest factor was the amount of penalties the Cardinals had. Arizona finished with a whopping 10 penalties for 86 yards.

While yes, the Cardinals do have a new head coach this year with Mike LaFleur, that's unacceptable.

The Cardinals have plenty of veteran voices on the team such as Josh Sweat, Budda Baker, Jacoby Brissett and Trey McBride among others. That should translate to less penalties and errors over the course of a game.

Hopefully LaFleur and co. can rein in penalties in the future so that these close games can land in Arizona's favor.

Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Mike LaFleur — Sep 20, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur looks on in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tackling Troubles Continue

This problem reared its ugly face early in the game as 49ers wide out Mike Evans pitched the ball to fellow 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. After the catch, Samuel then turned on the boosters and out-ran the whole Cardinals defense for the 49ers' first touchdown of the afternoon.

While Samuel has had a great career, he's slowed down considerably, and the fact that the Cardinals could not get him to the ground is not a good look.

Sep 27, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) makes a catch against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another example of missed tackling is when Purdy connected with wideout Jordan Watkins on a 3rd-and-11. Cardinals cornerback Max Melton was in coverage and not only did he give up the pass to Watkins, he also failed to make the immediate tackle.

If this issue is not fixed soon, it could spell disaster for the rest of the season. Later this season Arizona will face talented offenses in the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. All of these teams have offensive players who are lethal after the catch, so the Cardinals need to find a solution for this issue very soon.

Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes — Sep 27, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes the ball against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jacoby Brissett is Who We Thought He Was

Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is playing exactly how many expected him to perform. Some good, some bad, and a whole lot of average.

While Brissett's stat line does look pretty good at first glance (38 out of 52 passing for 280 yards and two touchdowns) it does not tell the whole story.

Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Jacoby Brissett — Sep 27, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers the first half at Levi's Stadium. in. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brissett and the offense got off to a very slow start. The team's passing attack was very slow and sluggish in the early stages of the game. Brissett's lack of mobility does play a part in this, as sometimes he has trouble extending the play or creating big gains on the ground if nothing is available.

Brissett also continues to have spotty accuracy. He will have a good amount of throws that are on target, followed by a couple of balls that are way off target. To counter, Brissett is a veteran signal caller clearly capable of reading defenses well while make quick and good reads.

Overall, with the Cardinals' brutal schedule, it's still the best decision for Brissett to continue starting over coveted rookie Carson Beck.

Special Team Turnovers

One trend early in the season for the Cardinals has been their ability to force turnovers on special teams. Wideout Simi Fehoko blocked a punt in Week 1 while recovering a muffed punt today against the 49ers.

Though this was a tough loss, this is still a positive trend for Arizona and one that hopefully be capitalized on in the future.

While there's certainly more negatives than positives to take from this game, there is still some hope for the Cardinals moving forward.

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