49ers vs. Cardinals: What's the Game Plan for Arizona?

The Arizona Cardinals face a relatively straightforward task if they wish to up their record to 3-0 when they take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon.

The 49ers are a throwback to the 80s and 90s. There's not a lot of flash to what they do. They want to win with a power run game and an aggressive defense.

Arizona has both the talent and scheme to cope with San Francisco's physical style. Below is a breakdown of what we can expect from the Cardinals on Sunday.

Offensive Game Plan

It's somewhat tricky going through San Francisco's Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and finding any tendencies from either team that led to the 49ers' demise. They simply got beat.

San Francisco, like Arizona's Week 2 opponent the Chicago Bears, runs a 3-4 defense. The similarities, however, end there. 

Chicago wants to play a very soft zone and keep the play in front of them. The 49ers are far more aggressive and physical. Defensive coordinator Eric Mangini isn't afraid to call exotic blitzes, while the defensive backs don't mind getting downhill and making plays at or behind the line of scrimmage.

The opposites continue. Just as Chicago is wary of giving up the big play, San Francisco can't seem to avoid it. 

The 49ers' secondary was burned from all directions last Sunday. No one among the back four had any answers for Pittsburgh's receivers one-on-one, while the safeties struggled when helping over the top. All told, they gave up 369 yards passing to Ben Roethlisberger on only 27 attempts.

As long as Arizona's offensive line can keep Carson Palmer upright, the Cardinals' passing attack should have a field day. San Francisco struggled particularly with the speed of Antonio Brown and Darrius Heyward-Bey, which could mean a big day for John Brown. 

Arizona will run the ball just enough to keep San Francisco's defense honest and make the play action viable, but the primary responsibility for Chris and David Johnson will be in pass protection. They'll need to be effective picking up blitzes. 

Defensive Game Plan

Here's San Francisco's offense in its natural state:

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There's not a whole lot of mystery here. They want to run the football downhill with Carlos Hyde and occasionally change things up by having Colin Kaepernick keep the handoff and pick up yardage on the weak side of the field.

There are two questions facing Arizona this week. First, will James Bettcher still feel the need to have six defensive backs on the field more often than not? If the answer to the first question is "yes," is Deone Bucannon stout enough to deal with this kind of power rushing attack as a linebacker? 

Even when it runs toward the right side of the field, San Francisco still looks to run behind left tackle Joe Staley and left guard Alex Boone. If Calais Campbell wins his matchup with Staley, it will go a long way toward neutralizing the 49ers' ground game.

The second piece of the puzzle will be maintaining weakside contain. Hyde proved against the Minnesota Vikings he's quick enough to cut back his runs, while Kaepernick will look to use his legs to punish over-aggressive defenses. 

While Kaepernick did manage to put up 335 yards and two touchdowns through the air against Pittsburgh, those numbers are indicative of the potency of San Francisco's passing attack. The 49ers will look to get Anquan Boldin and their menagerie of tight ends involved; this isn't a dangerous passing game. 

If Arizona can stop the run, it should have no trouble shutting down San Francisco's one-dimensional offense. 

Key Players and Matchups

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Aaron Lynch vs. Bobby Massie/Earl Watford

This was highlighted in Wednesday's preview, but it's worth mentioning again. This is the matchup to watch when Arizona has the ball.

Lynch is a talented and active pass rusher, and the right side is the weak link of Arizona's offensive line. Mangini will bring pressure from all angles, but his job becomes much easier if Lynch wins his battles. Keeping Palmer on his feet starts with keeping Lynch out of the backfield. 

Calais Campbell vs. Joe Staley

Campbell and Staley will be the two best players on the field when San Francisco has the ball, and they'll be going head-to-head. This matchup won't decide the outcome of the game, but it will determine just how successful the 49ers are running the football. 

John Brown

It's not exactly a scientific measurement, but it certainly feels like Brown is due for a big game. The explosive second-year receiver is off to a tepid start, with nine catches for 91 yards and a score through two games.

That could change in a big way on Sunday. San Francisco's secondary struggled with Pittsburgh's speed last week, so Brown has a good chance to corral his first deep ball of the season. 

David Johnson

At this point, it's difficult not to keep your eyes glued on Johnson when he's on the field. That said, the secret's out, and San Francisco will be ready for him.

According to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss, Andre Ellington will be a game-time decision (although he's listed as doubtful on the injury report), so it's unclear how much Johnson will play. Bruce Arians will find a way to get his rookie some touches, but Chris Johnson remains the starter if Ellington is out. 

Arizona will need to find a bigger hype train if Johnson breaks another big play on Sunday. 

Prediction

The buzz around the Cardinals in the national media went up to a solid eight this week, and these are the kinds of games they must win if they want to match those lofty expectations. They're a very good football team, and the San Francisco 49ers are not.

Palmer has been nothing short of fantastic in the season's opening weeks, and there's no reason for that to change against San Francisco's shaky secondary. This week could jump-start the seasons of Brown and Michael Floyd.

Arizona's run defense will be tested by Hyde and Kaepernick, but as long as they remain disciplined and tackle well, they should hold up reasonably well. San Francisco's offense simply isn't suited for a shootout.

The expectation is clear. Arizona can and should go to 3-0 Sunday afternoon.

Final score: Arizona 31, San Francisco 13