The Arizona Cardinals of 2026 looked a lot like the 2025 version against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
asserted
Cardinals → look → Sunday
No, that’s not a compliment.
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that → ’ → ?
The Cardinals (1-2) lost their second game in a row on Sunday, falling to the 49ers 36-30 for their eighth straight defeat against an NFC West opponent.
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Cardinals → lose → opponent
The game had a familiar theme that harkened back to last year’s 3-14 season — the offense was pretty good, the defense was pretty bad and penalties were a problem, particularly in the first half.
The biggest similarity?
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penalties → have → similarity
“We’ve got to do some of the little things better and it starts with coaching,” first-year coach Mike LaFleur said.
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LaFleur → get → coaching
“We have to provide clarity — and I’m talking in all three phases — offense, defense and special teams.
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I → have → phases
It’s the same on defense.”
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It → ’ → defense
San Francisco is the sixth straight NFC West opponent to score at least 30 points against Arizona’s defense.
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Francisco → score → defense
The Cardinals had no sacks against Brock Purdy and the 49ers quarterback threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions.
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quarterback → have → touchdowns
“There’s just little detail aspects in terms of blitz timing, being in the right fronts, all those kinds of things,” LaFleur said.
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LaFleur → ’ → things
“Again, I’ll start with that it’s the clarity we need to provide these guys, so that they can go out and execute in a way that’s going to be successful.
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that → start → way
What’s working
Jacoby Brissett bounced back from his least productive game with the Cardinals to put up his usual good numbers, completing 38 of 52 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
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Brissett → work → yards
Michael Wilson had 11 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, tight end Trey McBride caught nine balls for 75 yards and the much-maligned Marvin Harrison Jr. had a better game with three catches for 40 yards.
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Jr. → have → yards
LaFleur said the offense has been fairly consistent, but needs to figure out a way to get bigger gains in the passing game.
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offense → say → game
“We’re three weeks in and we haven’t been extremely explosive,” LaFleur said.
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LaFleur → ’re → ?
“I know this, when you’re trying to play good offensive football in this league and you’re having to do it through drives — drive in and drive out — it’s tough.
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it → know → drives
“At some point we’ve got to get a little bit more explosive.”
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we → get → point
What needs help
The Cardinals’ defense has been gashed for long touchdowns during the first quarter in each of the last two games.
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defense → need → games
Against Seattle, it was a busted coverage that led to an 82-yard touchdown for Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
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that → lead → Njigba
On Sunday, it was a hook-and-ladder play by the 49ers that started with Purdy’s short pass to Mike Evans, who flipped a lateral to Deebo Samuel for an 80-yard touchdown.
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who → start → touchdown
Jeremiyah Love had 90 yards rushing on 21 carries and 19 yards receiving and a TD on five catches against the 49ers.
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Love → have → 49ers
Those aren’t monster numbers, but the rookie out of Notre Dame has flashed his speed and shiftiness in each of the first three games.
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rookie → flash → games
It’s clear the Cardinals trust his ability — and his mind — and he’ll have a big role going forward.
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he → ’ → role
“I thought he got in a groove right there,” LaFleur said.
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LaFleur → think → groove
“Like I just told him, I said, ‘Hey, just keep trusting your reads, keep taking the ball.’
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I → tell → ball
You have to stay disciplined as a back, but we don’t have a clicker in our hand on Sundays.
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we → have → Sundays
These guys have to go play their game, see it and play fast.
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guys → have → it
I thought he did that.”
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he → think → that
The 29-year-old had a career-high 12 sacks last season and the Cardinals were hoping for similar results in the second year of his $76.4 million, four-year deal.
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Cardinals → have → deal
Sweat missed most of preseason camp while nursing a knee injury, so maybe it’s just a slow start, but the defense needs his 2025 version on the field.
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defense → miss → field
The Cardinals emerged from the game fairly healthy.
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Cardinals → emerge → game
Safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (back) missed the game but the team hopes he can return soon.
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he → miss → game
Key number
39 — The average number of points the Cardinals have surrendered during their last six games against NFC West foes.
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Cardinals → surrender → foes
They’ve lost all six.
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They → lose → six
Next steps
The Cardinals visit the New York Giants on Sunday.
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Cardinals → visit → Sunday
The Aporia
