The San Francisco 49ers are 2-0 and right on schedule, despite suffering numerous injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and play-calling remain king, while Robert Saleh’s defense has gotten enough stops through two games for the Niners to win two road games, which is no easy feat, regardless of opponent.
Now the 49ers have a divisional opponent for their home opener. The Arizona Cardinals come to town, fresh off a game where they were winning comfortably, but needed to hold on for dear life against the Carolina Panthers. San Francisco enters this game as 1.5-point favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook, with the total on the game at 43.5. So, oddsmakers are expecting a 22-21 score in favor of the home team.
That total might be low. Arizona scored 20 points in New Orleans in Week 1. They had 17 points at halftime. They scored 27 points in three quarters against Carolina in Week 2 before sitting on that lead the entire fourth quarter. San Francisco has had no issues moving the ball up and down the field. We’ve also seen their opponent move the ball between the 20s.
Then again, familiarity might lead to a lower-scoring game. Both teams seem over-reliant on the big play. These are also two teams that invested heavily in their defensive fronts this offseason, and not so much in the offensive line.
Shanahan said there’s a chance that Brock Purdy could play against the Cardinals. Shanahan’s likely to be mum on the topic this week, but we’ll watch the line to see if it ticks up from 1.5. If so, and the line moves multiple points, it’s a sign that Purdy has more than a chance to play in what will be a pivotal game for both teams.
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