San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals: Full Report Card Grades for Arizona
Around the start of the second quarter, Arizona Cardinals fans had to have a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs.
The defense had just allowed the San Francisco 49ers offense to march down the field and score a touchdown with ease, and the offense had only a field goal on the board after its first drive.
Keeping up with these 49ers, it seemed, would be a difficult task—especially with backup quarterback Drew Stanton leading the way.
But Stanton led a great second-half comeback aided immensely by clutch third-down play and rookie John Brown getting open near the goal line. Stanton completed 18 of 33 passes (54.5 percent) for 244 yards, two touchdowns (both to Brown) and no interceptions for a 98.5 passer rating.
"WR John Brown said game plan built around him. Because Niners didn't know him? He smiled. "No one knows me."
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) September 21, 2014"
After the defense allowed two touchdown drives on San Francisco's first two possessions and gaining 160 yards in the process, it looked as though it would be a long day. But on its six drives following the second touchdown, it gained just 158 yards and scored no more points.
Here are full grades for every Cardinals positional unit following the 23-14 win over the 49ers.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Do you want your quarterback to complete passes at a higher rate than Stanton has through two games? Yes, you do. But if he's completing just over 50 percent of his passes and not turning the ball over, it makes winning football games much easier.
For a second straight game, Stanton stepped in for an injured Carson Palmer and did not turn the ball over. He looked far more comfortable in the pocket this week than last, and he even carried three times for 22 yards (not including three kneel-downs at the end of the game).
He would have been sacked once, but the play was nullified on an illegal contact penalty by 49ers safety Eric Reid.
Overall, Stanton protected the ball, managed a good game and just helped beat the 49ers for the first time since 2011. Those three things play a large role in his grade.
Grade: A
Running Back
2 of 10
He didn't wow the crowd with ankle-breaking moves, and he didn't break off 10-yard gain after 10-yard gain. In fact, his longest rush iced the game, covering 20 yards and leading to three Stanton kneel-downs.
Other than that carry, he averaged just 2.8 yards per tote.
But what Andre Ellington did do Sunday is pound the ball, keeping it out of San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick's hands. In total, Ellington carried a career-high 18 times for 62 yards (3.4 yards per carry). He added three receptions for 13 yards.
Given the fact that Stepfan Taylor and Jalen Parmele saw such little time, they factor very little into the final grade. Robert Hughes was strictly a blocker, and he did a fine job as usual.
Ellington is the reason for this grade, as he helped wear down the 49ers' front seven, leaving it gassed down the stretch of the second half. You can't convince me that didn't have anything to do with the second-half touchdown drives led by Stanton.
Grade: B+
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10Between Ellington, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, the 49ers forgot about the rookie, Brown. He had four receptions for 52 yards (13.0 yards per catch) and both Stanton touchdowns, which turned out to be the difference in the game.
That means two of his three NFL touchdowns were second-half game-winners. Sunday's came on a little double-move from the right slot in which he beat fellow rookie Jimmie Ward for the 21-yard score.
Brown wasn't the only Cardinals receiver to enjoy success against the 49ers. Floyd led the way with five receptions for a game-high 114 yards (22.8 YPC) on nine targets. He was wide open on most of his receptions, having to go up to make a play against a defender only once.
And though he did not light up the stats sheet and caused many fans some unneeded worry with a late fumble, Fitzgerald played a solid game. He had three receptions for 34 yards (11.3 YPC) on seven targets, but his blocking on screens and run plays showed how selfless he is—he cares only about winning football games.
He has to be happy after Sunday's win over an NFC West rival.
Grade: B-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Stanton came under pressure on some dropbacks, but for the most part, his pocket was clean, and he had time to throw. He held the ball too long on occasion, but that's just something the Cardinals will have to deal with. It's who Stanton is as a quarterback.
Right guard Paul Fanaika and left tackle Jared Veldheer played especially well against the 49ers. It's possible Veldheer allowed zero quarterback pressures for the second straight week, and Fanaika's right guard lane was the spot to run the ball with Ellington.
Three penalties on the line stung a bit, and left guard Ted Larsen will very likely be out of a job after the bye week, as he was simply horrible against the talented San Francisco defensive line. I'm not the only one who had that thought while watching him struggle:
"Guessing we see a change at LG during bye week for #AZCardinals
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) September 21, 2014"
It's time we see Jonathan Cooper step in and learn how to be the dominant force he was becoming before his leg injury last preseason. The play at left guard can't be any worse, so there is no harm in making the switch.
Head coach Bruce Arians tried it; it didn't work. Switch back to Cooper, and move on. Experiment over. Unfortunately, Larsen's performance hurts the overall grade some.
Grade: B
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Early on, it appeared as though Kaepernick would be a pest to the run defense all afternoon. It looked like something the Cardinals would just have to maintain as well as they could because they were covering receivers well downfield but not getting much pressure, which allowed the lanky quarterback a lot of running room—especially up the middle early.
But as the game wore on, the defensive line started getting pressure on Kaepernick, and suddenly he could not take off and run 10 yards on 3rd-and-7.
Whatever adjustments defensive coordinator Todd Bowles implemented at halftime worked, because while inside linebacker Larry Foote found little space to roam the middle of the field in the first half, he was free to make plays much of the second half. That is a credit to the defensive line.
The run defense overall was superb once again, and, again, that is because of the defensive line. Defensive end Calais Campbell, nose tackle Dan Williams and defensive tackles Frostee Rucker and Tommy Kelly stepped up to halt running back Frank Gore, limiting the All-Pro back to 10 yards on six carries (1.7 YPC).
Kaepernick led the 49ers with 54 yards on 13 carries (4.3 YPC), while rookie Carlos Hyde had three carries for 13 yards (4.2 YPC) and a touchdown.
In all, it was just another day at the office for one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
Grade: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
A couple moments early in the action, I found myself wondering how Daryl Washington would fare in the situations given to Foote. He had to take on blockers in the first half, and he was unable to shed them quickly enough to make a play.
This was a first-half problem, however. As mentioned, Foote had room to zig and zag in and out of lanes to run down 49ers ball-carriers in the second half.
All the pressure came from the A-gaps on inside linebacker blitzes and defensive line stunts. The outside linebackers were stymied most of the game with the exception of a Thomas Keiser near-sack of Kaepernick, which led to a decent gain because no one else could help the new Cardinals defender bring down the San Francisco signal-caller.
Grade: C+
Secondary
7 of 10
Cornerback Patrick Peterson played his best game of the season against the 49ers. He wasn't stuck on receiver Michael Crabtree all game, instead covering the offense's right half of the field most of the afternoon.
On occasion, Peterson would follow Crabtree to the left side of the formation, but the vast majority of his time was spent manning one side.
He did allow at least one reception to Crabtree, but he did not allow a touchdown in a game for the first time this season.
No. 2 cornerback Antonio Cromartie had a defensive holding penalty called on him early, and he nearly picked off Kaepernick on the opening drive of the third quarter. Had he hung onto the ball, he most likely would have taken it to the house.
But then Cromartie left with a knee injury, the severity of which we won't know until further tests can be performed this week. Should he have to miss any time, it would be yet another blow to a team that continues to find ways to win games despite myriad injuries.
One noticeable improvement to the secondary this week was the addition of Tyrann Mathieu. He made his season debut last week against the New York Giants but played only five snaps.
He played much more than that this week and provided a spark to the defense. He helped contain Kaepernick as a part-time spy and dropped into coverage a few times as well. Mathieu did allow a reception to receiver Stevie Johnson that converted a key third down, but other than that he played well.
Rookie strong safety Deone Bucannon and second-year safety Tony Jefferson both played a whale of a game. Jefferson recorded the only sack of Kaepernick late to thwart a comeback and led all tacklers with 10 total tackles. Bucannon was a part-time spy of Kaepernick and stopped him short of the line of scrimmage.
Overall, this was the best performance from the secondary this season.
Grade: A-
Special Teams
8 of 10
This will be short because there is not much to gripe about after Sunday's special teams show.
Not only did the Cardinals not have a punt blocked in a game for the first time this season—hooray, progress!—but Kelly blocked a kick early in the fourth quarter that would have moved San Francisco to within a field goal.
When you add that to rookie kicker Chandler Catanzaro connecting on 3-of-3 field-goal attempts with a long of 51 and his booming kickoffs, you get a very good game grade.
Grade: A+
Coaching
9 of 10
Sometimes, football is about taking what a team is giving you, limping to the locker room at halftime to make adjustments and wreaking havoc in the second half. That's just what happened Sunday as the Cardinals quite frankly beat down the 49ers after the break.
Both sides of the ball adjusted well to what San Francisco showed early, and both Arians and Bowles had their units smelling blood in the water down the stretch.
Arizona's offense was just 2-of-6 on third downs in the first half. In the second half, Stanton and Co. converted 6-of-6 third downs that mattered. Stanton knelt on the ball on third down late to end it, and that will count as a failed conversion for some reason.
Officially, the Cardinals converted 8-of-13 third downs (61.5 percent) for the game. That's markedly better than last week, when they mustered only a 5-of-13 conversion rate (38.5 percent) against the Giants.
And remember, the 49ers gained 160 yards on their first two drives, netting them two touchdowns. From that point on, they totaled 158 yards and zero points. That is not possible without coaching.
This grade is easy this week.
Grade: A
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Grade |
| QB | A |
| RB | B+ |
| WR | B- |
| OL | B |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | C+ |
| Secondary | A- |
| Special Teams | A+ |
| Coaching | A |
| Cumulative Grade | A- |
Considering the circumstances surrounding this game—no starting quarterback, the extra attention from the media after the Jonathan Dwyer arrest, etc.—this 23-14 win over the 49ers is by far the best win of the three early-season victories for the Cardinals.
From top to bottom, this was an outstandingly played game. Offense, defense and special teams showed up to play, and they all played lights-out football.
This is by no means a perfect team, but this game is a major confidence boost going forward. The team still needs to find an edge rush, and the secondary has its flaws at times. Tight ends will still probably give them fits—no Vernon Davis or Vance McDonald for San Francisco aided in the defense's performance Sunday, no doubt.
Going into the bye week at 3-0 and in the lead all by themselves has to feel good for everyone within the Cardinals' organization. If Arizona would have lost this game and been 2-1, that's still good and would have been praised.
But the narrative would have been that the Cardinals still cannot beat the 49ers and are not a top-tier team because of it. This is a huge monkey off the back of the organization.
The season is long, and many different scenarios could play out the rest of the way. For now, however, your Cardinals are the best team in the NFC West.
All stats gathered from ESPN.
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