49ers vs. Cardinals Week 11 : Game Preview and Prediction

The Cardinals have been handing the 49ers plenty of losses the last two years. Will it be more of the same?

Another primetime game for the 49ers.

This time it'll be on Monday Night Football against the Cardinals in Mexico City. Arizona has had the 49ers' number the last couple of years. For whatever reason it is, the Cardinals always put their best effort against the 49ers. Whether it has been with Kyler Murray or Colt McCoy, Arizona knows how to hand a stinging loss to the 49ers.

That needs to end for the 49ers when they take the field at the Estadio Azteca, and it WILL end. I feel confident that the 49ers can handle their business against the Cardinals. Now, I did categorize this game as one of the toughest matchups the 49ers have the rest of the way. Mainly because they get pushed by the Cardinals and chasing Murray around in the high-altitude will be draining.

But this is not the same Arizona team. They have had a clown show of a head coach and quarterback who looks like he doesn't even wanna be there. For years, the Cardinals have been able to cover that up, but this year it is all rising from the depths of the water and onto the surface. The Cardinals won't be an easy outing still, but this team just needs to be facing a deficit and will instantly feel anxious.

Not to mention that Murray missed a game last week with a hamstring injury that also kept him out of a couple practices leading up to this game. His hamstring cannot be fully restored as he has a questionable status for the game. I would bet that Murray doesn't run around too much this game for that reason. Plus, the 49ers should be adjusted to the altitude after spending the week in Colorado. They should be more than ready to contain and chase a less 100-percent Murray.

All the 49ers have to worry about defensively is DeAndre Hopkins. Double cover him and let the rest beat you. The 49ers can live with Rondale Moore and A.J. Green receiving ball. And it's not like the Cardinals are an efficient running team. San Francisco should not be getting pushed around there. So long as they disrupt running lanes, then James Conner will be a non-factor. He only does damage when the offensive line creates for him as he can literally only run straight. Defensively, this is not a worry for the 49ers. Then again, that has been almost every game.

Can the offense finally put it together?

That is the real question here for the 49ers. They have all of these weapons and are once again facing an average defense that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Defenses, especially the Arizona defense, cannot slow down and take away all of the 49ers' magnificent talent on offense. George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Christian McCaffrey will all be open at various points in the game. Arizona is one of the worst defenses when it comes to allowing yards after the catch. All Kyle Shanahan has to do is dial it up.

Let Jimmy Garoppolo sling it. It is no secret that the 49ers want to run the football, so if they are once again struggling to do serious damage on the ground, then they have to use the pass to set up the run. But that is only IF Garoppolo looks to be locked in with his throws because, despite being really solid this season, he is still a toss up on a game-to-game basis.

Regardless, the 49ers should be able to put up over 24 points on the Cardinals. All they have is Budda Baker on defense as their only threatening player. No one else is a serious threat, especially with Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator. Shanahan should be running circles around him.

If the 49ers are a playoff contending team with Super Bowl potential like they look to be, then they should handle this game without too much of a struggle.

49ers 28 Cardinals 17