Niners emerge as legit NFC risk after displaying out in opposition to Cardinals in Mexico Metropolis

MEXICO CITY — The San Francisco 49ers are headed dwelling with a win — and tied for first within the NFC West — after defeating the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 at Estadio Azteca on Monday evening.

With 78,427 followers in attendance for the NFL’s remaining worldwide sport of the season, the Niners (6-4) prolonged their win streak to a few video games and leaned closely on huge receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and working again Christian McCaffrey. The Cardinals fell to 4-7 as backup quarterback Colt McCoy began rather than the injured Kyler Murray for the second consecutive week.

The Niners moved to 4-0 in opposition to division rivals, together with a Week 2 win over the Seattle Seahawks that offers San Francisco management of its playoff positioning.

San Francisco 49ers

For a lot of this season, the San Francisco 49ers have hovered within the grey space between NFC contender and pretender.

On Monday evening, they loudly proclaimed they’re, in truth, a crew to be feared.

All three phases lastly got here collectively in a thrashing of the Arizona Cardinals. The 6-4 Niners have gained three in a row and are 4-0 within the NFC West.

On paper, many observers have seen the Niners as an actual risk within the NFC all season however many had been nonetheless ready for that each one to gel. And although the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and Cardinals aren’t precisely difficult opponents, the Niners dealt with every with relative ease.

Now that their weeklong journey to Colorado and Mexico Metropolis is over, the Niners head dwelling for the vacations, enjoying 5 of their remaining seven video games at Levi’s Stadium and none outdoors the Pacific time zone.

San Francisco gained seven of 9 to shut final season earlier than making a run to the NFC Championship Recreation. As November nears its finish, the Niners look able to do it once more.

QB breakdown: In a departure from their regular method, the Niners leaned closely on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo within the first half. Garoppolo tried 21 passes, together with 9 in a row at one level and 3 times greater than the Niners ran it within the opening half-hour. He went 14-of-21 for 153 yards with two touchdowns for a 119.7 passer ranking.

It was simply the third time prior to now two seasons he had 100-plus passing yards and a minimum of two landing tosses within the first half. That output set the Niners as much as come out of the locker room at half and run the ball proper at Arizona. San Francisco ran seven of eight instances on its opening possession of the third quarter, ending with Deebo Samuel’s 39-yard landing run.

Garoppolo completed 20-of-29 for 228 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions for a ranking of 131.9.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Complete dominance. These clamoring for the 49ers to be taken severely within the NFC by blowing somebody out acquired what they wished Monday evening.

Purchase into the 49ers’ backfield: Christian McCaffrey performed 25 snaps to Elijah Mitchell’s three within the first half, however it turned out that was Kyle Shanahan’s plan all alongside. The Niners used the extra bruising Mitchell as a second-half nearer of types and he joined McCaffrey in salting the sport away.

McCaffrey’s versatility paired with Mitchell’s pace and energy provides the Niners a mixture that might make them a tricky postseason out.

Below the radar stat: Based on NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, Deebo Samuel reached a max pace of 19.94 mph on his 39-yard rush landing, the very best pace he has reached as a ball service this season.

Subsequent sport: vs. New Orleans Saints, Sunday.

Arizona Cardinals

A foul season simply acquired even worse for the Arizona Cardinals.

It has been one factor for them to lose on Sundays stateside. It was one other for them to get blown out on “Monday Evening Soccer” in entrance of a global viewers at Estadio Azteca in Mexico Metropolis.

The Cardinals fell to 4-7 after a sport that might have been the altering level in an in any other case dismal season. As a substitute of pulling themselves inside closing distance of the final playoff spot, the Cardinals confirmed once more that their offense continues to be a piece in progress — 4 years into Kliff Kingsbury’s tenure.

With Kyler Murray’s hamstring nonetheless not at one hundred pc, the beginning went to backup quarterback Colt McCoy for the second straight week. The Cardinals ran for simply 67 yards and mustered one landing with McCoy behind an offensive line that featured only one opening day starter, proper sort out Kelvin Beachum. Arizona’s protection could not include the 49ers’ three strongest weapons: tight finish George Kittle, working again Christian McCaffrey and huge receiver Deebo Samuel.

Unable to get their working sport going, the Cardinals left the burden of the offense on McCoy, who took hit after hit behind the patchwork offensive line. And it left the Cardinals pummeled, in search of solutions on either side of the ball with six video games left.

Troubling development: The Cardinals misplaced yards on 5 runs within the first half, all of which occurred on first down, placing them in second-and-long conditions earlier than they even had an opportunity to interrupt a sweat. Three of them occurred on the identical drive. These 5 first downs that went for destructive runs had been on drives that produced a complete of three factors and an interception.

QB breakdown: When McCoy was upright, he threw for 218 yards and an interception on 24-for-34 passing, even after being sacked 3 times. He was seen in ache after a pair hits and his incapability to evade strain and make performs together with his ft was a difficulty for the Cardinals all sport.

Pivotal play: DeAndre Hopkins’ taunting penalty early within the second quarter moved Arizona from 49ers territory again into its personal territory. Two performs later, Colt McCoy threw an interception, which San Francisco became a landing to take a 14-3 lead and by no means seemed again.

Below the radar stat: After catching seven passes for 77 yards within the first half, DeAndre Hopkins had simply two catches for 14 yards within the second half.

Subsequent sport: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday.