These guys have been much more right than wrong each game this season;
Cards unlikely to notch first win
Why To Watch
The 49ers and Cardinals say "Hola" to Mexico City as the NFL plays its first-ever regular season game outside the United States at Estadio Azteca. The Cardinals may be without QB Kurt Warner (right groin) and may be forced to start Josh McCown, whose accuracy and timing will need to improve against an aggressive and opportunistic 49ers secondary.
The Cardinals woeful running attack won't get a break either because of the speedy, swarming 49ers linebacking core. The 49ers will attempt to expose a banged up Cardinals defense that lost four players to injury last game with a heavy dose of between the tackles running and underneath routes. They will also look to avoid another late-game collapse by avoiding costly penalties and improving their play-calling.
When the 49ers have the ball
Rushing: Offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy needs to stay committed to the run for an entire game. Both Frank Gore and Kevan Barlow looked impressive between the tackles in the second half against the Cowboys. Look for Gore's workload to continue to increase -- he showed great burst in the last game and could feast on the slow and depleted Cardinals' linebackers.
Arizona safeties Robert Griffith and Adrian Wilson both struggled in run support against the Seahawks and will have to do a better job wrapping up the elusive Gore. The Cardinals interior defense wore down for the second time in three weeks, so the bruising, physical Barlow becomes the perfect complement in the second half. Plus, NT Russell Davis (biceps) and LB Eric Johnson (left hamstring) left last game and may be unavailable against the 49ers.
The 49ers will look to neutralize SLB Karlos Dansby and stretch MLB Lester Towns, who has struggled in sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Look for Gore to bounce some runs out toward Kwame Harris and test the shed ability and pursuit of LDE Chike Okeafor. LG Justin Smiley was effective in moving to the second level, but needs to be more effective in finishing his blocks against the Cardinals linebackers.
QB Tim Rattay is much more effective in short-yardage situations, so running the ball often and successfully on early downs will be key.
Passing: Rattay was the victim of some bad luck on the final drive of the Cowboys game. WR Arnaz Battle had performed well all day, but left after limping off the field with a leg injury. WR Johnnie Morton moved from the slot to Battle's flanker spot and WR Otis Amey moved to the slot. Rattay's next pass bounced off Amey's hands and was intercepted, ending the 49ers rally.
Battle could have a field day against a depleted Cardinals secondary that may be without CBs Antrel Rolle and David Macklin. He is a physical receiver who, along with Morton, is effective coming over the middle on the short slants that the 49ers like to run on third and short situations.
WR Brandon Lloyd established himself as an effective vertical threat against the Cowboys, catching 4 balls for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lloyd will again look to stretch the field and give the 49ers room underneath. Dansby has the ability to cover underneath, so look for the 49ers to run their routes away from him.
Look for Gore to become involved in the short passing game on early downs in order to expose the lack of speed of the Cardinals linebackers. He has the burst and ability to make the Cardinals miss on the perimeter. Barlow is a much better blocker and can pick up the blitz better on third down.
RDE Bertrand Berry will become a factor again on the pass rush, after battling all-pro Walter Jones last week. Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast will look to run some overload blitzes from Berry's side in order to confuse the left side of the 49ers line and put pressure on Rattay to make quick decisions, something he hasn't proven he can do.
When the Cardinals have the ball
Rushing: Once again the Cardinals will look to spread the field with their three-receiver sets in order to give RB Marcel Shipp more room to run up the middle. The problem is that RILB Jeff Ulbrich remains in the game in nickel and is a genuine downhill, physical, run-stopping player. Ulbrich has the reaction skills to fill a gap and finish his tackles.
LG Reggie Wells has to do a better job of sustaining his block at the point of attack in this game and possibly get to the second level on Ulbrich. 49ers NT Anthony Adams needs to continue to eat up blockers and allow Ulbrich to flow to the ball, something he should be able to do against the interior of the Cardinals line.
ROLB Jamie Winborn and LOLB Julian Peterson, who left the Cowboys game with a hamstring injury, are susceptible to inside runs, but very effective in space. Another problem for the Cardinals is that tight end Eric Edwards struggled mightily in run blocking. Edwards often missed assignments or whiffed on blocks against the Seahawks, something Winborn and Peterson will be aware of and will look to exploit.
Shipp has proven that he can improvise better than J.J. Arrington when the blocking scheme breaks down. He has the ability to make people miss in space and is more assertive than Arrington when hitting the hole.
Passing: QB Josh McCown looked out of sorts and inaccurate against the Seahawks. The 49ers will look to follow the Seahawks blueprint and use delayed blitzes and pressure to make McCown uncomfortable in the pocket. While the Cardinals pass protection certainly hasn't been great, their receivers aren't helping either. Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson aren't burners, but need to run more precise routes and get open earlier, allowing McCown to take shorter drops and attempt higher percentage passes.
The 49ers need to bring blitz pressure because LDE Bryant Young, NT Isaac Sopoaga and RDE Marques Douglas were unable to get any sort of a pass rush against the Cowboys. Young will have an easier time in this game facing either an injured Oliver Ross or backup RT Fred Wakefield. If McCown has time, the Cardinals receivers then have the ability to run longer routes and get open.
The Cardinals utilized Boldin and Fitzgerald in short wide receiver screen routes on early downs, effectively using those plays to replace their run game. McCown also utilized Fitzgerald's leaping ability, something they will look to do again against smaller CB Ahmed Plummer.
As effective as Ulbrich is against the run, he is susceptible to underneath crossing routes and play-action passes. Look for the Cardinals to line up Fitzgerald or Johnson in the left slot and then run routes into Ulbrich's zone toward the sideline.
A-Bomb
Cards unlikely to notch first win
Why To Watch
The 49ers and Cardinals say "Hola" to Mexico City as the NFL plays its first-ever regular season game outside the United States at Estadio Azteca. The Cardinals may be without QB Kurt Warner (right groin) and may be forced to start Josh McCown, whose accuracy and timing will need to improve against an aggressive and opportunistic 49ers secondary.
The Cardinals woeful running attack won't get a break either because of the speedy, swarming 49ers linebacking core. The 49ers will attempt to expose a banged up Cardinals defense that lost four players to injury last game with a heavy dose of between the tackles running and underneath routes. They will also look to avoid another late-game collapse by avoiding costly penalties and improving their play-calling.
When the 49ers have the ball
Rushing: Offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy needs to stay committed to the run for an entire game. Both Frank Gore and Kevan Barlow looked impressive between the tackles in the second half against the Cowboys. Look for Gore's workload to continue to increase -- he showed great burst in the last game and could feast on the slow and depleted Cardinals' linebackers.
Arizona safeties Robert Griffith and Adrian Wilson both struggled in run support against the Seahawks and will have to do a better job wrapping up the elusive Gore. The Cardinals interior defense wore down for the second time in three weeks, so the bruising, physical Barlow becomes the perfect complement in the second half. Plus, NT Russell Davis (biceps) and LB Eric Johnson (left hamstring) left last game and may be unavailable against the 49ers.
The 49ers will look to neutralize SLB Karlos Dansby and stretch MLB Lester Towns, who has struggled in sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Look for Gore to bounce some runs out toward Kwame Harris and test the shed ability and pursuit of LDE Chike Okeafor. LG Justin Smiley was effective in moving to the second level, but needs to be more effective in finishing his blocks against the Cardinals linebackers.
QB Tim Rattay is much more effective in short-yardage situations, so running the ball often and successfully on early downs will be key.
Passing: Rattay was the victim of some bad luck on the final drive of the Cowboys game. WR Arnaz Battle had performed well all day, but left after limping off the field with a leg injury. WR Johnnie Morton moved from the slot to Battle's flanker spot and WR Otis Amey moved to the slot. Rattay's next pass bounced off Amey's hands and was intercepted, ending the 49ers rally.
Battle could have a field day against a depleted Cardinals secondary that may be without CBs Antrel Rolle and David Macklin. He is a physical receiver who, along with Morton, is effective coming over the middle on the short slants that the 49ers like to run on third and short situations.
WR Brandon Lloyd established himself as an effective vertical threat against the Cowboys, catching 4 balls for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lloyd will again look to stretch the field and give the 49ers room underneath. Dansby has the ability to cover underneath, so look for the 49ers to run their routes away from him.
Look for Gore to become involved in the short passing game on early downs in order to expose the lack of speed of the Cardinals linebackers. He has the burst and ability to make the Cardinals miss on the perimeter. Barlow is a much better blocker and can pick up the blitz better on third down.
RDE Bertrand Berry will become a factor again on the pass rush, after battling all-pro Walter Jones last week. Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast will look to run some overload blitzes from Berry's side in order to confuse the left side of the 49ers line and put pressure on Rattay to make quick decisions, something he hasn't proven he can do.
When the Cardinals have the ball
Rushing: Once again the Cardinals will look to spread the field with their three-receiver sets in order to give RB Marcel Shipp more room to run up the middle. The problem is that RILB Jeff Ulbrich remains in the game in nickel and is a genuine downhill, physical, run-stopping player. Ulbrich has the reaction skills to fill a gap and finish his tackles.
LG Reggie Wells has to do a better job of sustaining his block at the point of attack in this game and possibly get to the second level on Ulbrich. 49ers NT Anthony Adams needs to continue to eat up blockers and allow Ulbrich to flow to the ball, something he should be able to do against the interior of the Cardinals line.
ROLB Jamie Winborn and LOLB Julian Peterson, who left the Cowboys game with a hamstring injury, are susceptible to inside runs, but very effective in space. Another problem for the Cardinals is that tight end Eric Edwards struggled mightily in run blocking. Edwards often missed assignments or whiffed on blocks against the Seahawks, something Winborn and Peterson will be aware of and will look to exploit.
Shipp has proven that he can improvise better than J.J. Arrington when the blocking scheme breaks down. He has the ability to make people miss in space and is more assertive than Arrington when hitting the hole.
Passing: QB Josh McCown looked out of sorts and inaccurate against the Seahawks. The 49ers will look to follow the Seahawks blueprint and use delayed blitzes and pressure to make McCown uncomfortable in the pocket. While the Cardinals pass protection certainly hasn't been great, their receivers aren't helping either. Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson aren't burners, but need to run more precise routes and get open earlier, allowing McCown to take shorter drops and attempt higher percentage passes.
The 49ers need to bring blitz pressure because LDE Bryant Young, NT Isaac Sopoaga and RDE Marques Douglas were unable to get any sort of a pass rush against the Cowboys. Young will have an easier time in this game facing either an injured Oliver Ross or backup RT Fred Wakefield. If McCown has time, the Cardinals receivers then have the ability to run longer routes and get open.
The Cardinals utilized Boldin and Fitzgerald in short wide receiver screen routes on early downs, effectively using those plays to replace their run game. McCown also utilized Fitzgerald's leaping ability, something they will look to do again against smaller CB Ahmed Plummer.
As effective as Ulbrich is against the run, he is susceptible to underneath crossing routes and play-action passes. Look for the Cardinals to line up Fitzgerald or Johnson in the left slot and then run routes into Ulbrich's zone toward the sideline.
A-Bomb
