Overreacting to Cardinals' Upset Win vs 49ers

Which takes are overreactions after the Arizona Cardinals found their second win of the season.

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (center right) celebrates with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

If you had told Arizona Cardinals fans they would be 2-3 after the first five games, they would take it.

If you told them it included wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, most Cardinals fans would have rejoiced.

In what has been a roller coaster of a week, many Cardinals fans feel back on top of the world after Arizona beat the team that has plagued them for many years in San Francisco.

Not to bring those fans back to earth (or anyone for that matter) but there are some overreactions to the game - and some correct reactions:

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) carries the ball against San Francisco 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown (27) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

1. The Cardinals may be the best team in the NFC West

Verdict: Overreaction

At least for one day, yes, the Cardinals did play like the best team in the division. With the Rams losing respectively to the Packers (and sitting at 1-4) on top of Seattle losing to the Giants at home (rather shockingly), indeed Arizona is back in the division race.

But the best team in the division? There's a long way to go yet.

But today's victory was a huge warning sign to the division, that despite all the injuries, issues that plagued both sides of the ball, and their recent history, the Cardinals are not messing around.

Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury hugs Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) after a Cardinals loss during a game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sept. 29, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2. Last week's horrible loss to Washington was a fluke

Verdict: Slight overreaction

Some teams just get hot early in the season - Washington is one of those teams right now, after dismantling Cleveland in similar fashion to the way they dismantled Arizona last week.

Did Arizona's flaws and weaknesses get exposed last week? Yes - those should still concern even the most optimistic of fans.

But every team has bad games. And Arizona bounced back in, what many would describe, amazing fashion.

Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon (left) hugs Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing before the game against the Washington Commander at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-Imagn Images / Brent Skeen-Imagn Images

3. Drew Petzing has fixed his playcalling woes

Verdict: Slight overreaction

Petzing has drawn the ire of Cardinals fans and analysts this past week, and rightly so. His first two play calls couldn't have gone better as a rebound against the 49ers - culminating in a Kyler Murray 50 yard run.

The rest of the game left something to be desired - especially on third down. Now, to be fair, Petzing cannot control the blocked field goal, the dropped touchdown pass from Trey McBride, or some other misses from Kyler Murray.

But there were the usual head-scratching choices (some that even commentator Tom Brady couldn't help but question) that Petzing threw in throughout the game. Perhaps one of the more head-scratching ones was calling play action in the red zone on a long third down.

To give Petzing his flowers, he did settle down in the 4th quarter and kept it simple by feeding James Conner a lot on the game-winning drive.

But there is still some nervousness from Cardinals fans - and the main question boils down to whether he can figure out how to keep the offense consistent outside of the first drive.

4. The Cardinals' defense has turned a corner

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White (on ground) reacts after intercepting a pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Verdict: Overreaction

395 and 406. 35 and 45.

If you guessed that these were the yardage and point totals from last years two games, or rather losses, against San Francisco, you would be correct.

Today, they allowed a similar amount of yards - 384. The Cardinals took advantage of several strange decisions for the 49ers, however, along with 3 opportunistic turnovers to hold them to 23 points - really only 17 given up on defense with the blocked kick return accounting for 6.

Now, this is certainly an improvement - but if you watched the game, there was usually very little Arizona could do to stop the 49ers offense. So while yes, it's a step in the right direction, I do believe we need a bit more of a consistent sample size before we say the defense has improved.

The next two games should tell us a lot about this team, and particularly this defense, against two teams that have great offensive lines in Green Bay and the LA Chargers.

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (center) carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

5. Kyler Got Lucky

Verdict: Overreaction

Kyler has been, rightfully so, at the center of much debate amongst Cardinals fans this past week after a poor performance against the Commanders. Today's showing won't necessarily silence the doubters - but it should make it clear that Kyler will, or at the very least should, be part of the solution - and it not the problem in Arizona.

His throw to Marvin Harrison Jr. on fourth down in the fourth quarter to save the game was not luck but incredible skill. And there are very few quarterbacks, perhaps only a couple, that could make his first quarter run to the end zone.

No quarterback is perfect - but it's really up to the Cardinals staff to continue to figure out how to continue to use his unique skill set.

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr (18) catches the ball above San Francisco 49ers cornerback Isaac Yiadom (22) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

6. Marvin Harrison Jr. is off to a slow start

Verdict: Overreaction

In some other comforting thoughts, Marvin Harrison Jr. will be ok. He was covered pretty well in today's game, but came up with a clutch catch when it mattered the most.

Just because he's not putting up Malik Nabers-esque numbers does not mean he's not proven his importance to this team and this offense. Much like Murray, it's now on the staff to figure out how to best unlock him.

This is a tough thing to keep perspective after a roller coaster of a week, but it's important for Cardinals fans, even while at a high point, to know that this may keep taking time for things to come together.

The good news? It does appear Arizona is on the right track.