49ers vs. Cardinals: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2014 Regular Season

The Arizona Cardinals moved to 3-0 on the season after getting the best of the favored San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, winning by a score of 23-14. The balance of power is quickly shifting in the ultra-competitive NFC West, as Arizona proved it can win games without quarterback Carson Palmer at the helm.

For the second consecutive week, backup signal-caller Drew Stanton got the start. He proved to be a viable replacement immediately, getting his team on the board right out of the gate after a 36-yard completion to Michael Floyd led to a 51-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead.    

Not to be outdone, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick didn't take long to one-up his opponent on the very next drive. Utilizing his ability to create yards with his arm and his legs, Kaepernick connected with four different receivers and scrambled when necessary, en route to capping off a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown strike to Michael Crabtree.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News tweeted the quarterback's impressive numbers:

Stanton took the field once more in an attempt to get the momentum back on his side. He teamed up with running back Andre Ellington to engineer a drive that would last through the remainder of the first quarter.

Beginning the second quarter deep in 49ers territory, Stanton briefly stumbled, as two incompletions led to Chandler Catanzaro's second field goal of the game—this time from 32 yards out.

Kaepernick and Co. began from their own 20-yard line on the ensuing possession and picked up right where they left off. Surprisingly enough, San Francisco didn't rely too heavily on its vaunted running game, as Kaepernick and his receivers picked their way down the field with short, high-percentage passes.

Once the 49ers found themselves deep inside Cardinals territory again, they unleashed their talented running backs. After one carry by veteran Frank Gore, rookie phenom Carlos Hyde plunged into the end zone from six yards out on his second attempt of the drive.

Hyde's run was summed up perfectly by NFL Philosophy:

The touchdown put the 49ers up by a score of 14-6. After that score, both defenses stepped up, as the next three drives stalled quickly, and the first half reached its conclusion.

Down by eight points, Stanton took matters into his own hands early in the third quarter. He completed another deep pass to Floyd—this time for 45 yards—putting his offense in position to strike. Four plays later, that's exactly what happened, as Stanton connected with John Brown on a 24-yard scoring pass.

NFL on ESPN tweeted the quarterback's reaction:

Suddenly, San Francisco's lead was just one point.

After a defensive stand by Arizona on the following drive, Stanton and his offense were given an opportunity to take the lead. They were aided by two crucial 49ers penalties as they marched down the field. Catching lightning in a bottle again, Stanton hit Brown for the second time in two drives, and the result was the same.

Brown hauled in the 21-yard pass for a score, and the Cardinals burst out to a 20-14 lead.

Will Brinson of CBS Sports gave his take after the wide receiver's second touchdown:

The 49ers drove deep into Cardinals territory the following drive. Kaepernick moved the offense to the 6-yard line, but penalties contributed to the 49ers settling for a 45-yard field-goal attempt. Tommy Kelly then blocked Phil Dawson's kick.

Needless to say, the Cardinals' official Twitter account was pumped up:

Stanton appeared ready to put the game out of reach on the ensuing possession. He continued to pick apart San Francisco's defense with short passes, moving deep into 49ers territory once again. However, a Larry Fitzgerald fumble was recovered by Perrish Cox, giving San Francisco new life.

San Francisco's official Twitter account was elated:

Unfortunately for the 49ers, the offense just couldn't sustain a drive, as pressure on Kaepernick forced the team to punt with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.

The Cardinals moved down the field in a methodical fashion after a pass-interference penalty awarded them a crucial first down. The drive resulted in a third Catanzaro field goal, giving Arizona an insurmountable 23-14 lead with only 29 seconds remaining.

Shortly after, the game clock expired, and the Cardinals emerged victorious. NFL on ESPN noted the difference in fourth-quarter efficiency between the two teams:

ESPN's Trey Wingo tweeted the end result:

Arizona coach Bruce Arians talked about the enormous win after the game, per The Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com): "For us to go undefeated in September is a huge step forward with all the things that have gone on the past two weeks. I love the resiliency of our football team, the focus that they bring every single day to work."

This loss by San Francisco marks its second squandered lead in as many weeks. The team gave up four passing touchdowns to Jay Cutler in Week 2 on Sunday Night Football and followed it up with an inability to stop Stanton just one week later.

With a difficult contest against the undefeated, high-flying Philadelphia Eagles coming up in Week 4, the 49ers will need to get their secondary sorted in short order or risk falling into a deeper hole.

Arizona has been a pleasant surprise for the second consecutive season. In 2013, the team went 10-6, barely missing the playoffs. Now, the Cardinals are 3-0 and look ready to contend once more.

A much-needed week of rest is forthcoming for the Cardinals; however, that will be followed up by a difficult challenge against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in Week 5. The bye will give Palmer some time to recover, though Stanton has proved he can hold down the fort just in case.