The 49ers are short-handed heading into Week 3 against the Cardinals, but they still enter as the favorite. If San Francisco gets it done, it’s likely because a handful of key players rise to the moment.
Start with the defensive side, where Fred Warner has been elite through two games. The bigger question is Greenlaw.
He’s been more up and down, and Arizona has two weapons that can stress him in coverage: Trey McBride and Jeremiah Love. Both can challenge him with the ball in their hands, and the 49ers need to be reminded why they signed him based on how he handles that assignment.
Green also faces a meaningful test. He’s been solid through the first two weeks, but the circumstances haven’t exactly forced him into the fire.
The Rams came out flat, and Malik Willis is not a strong passing quarterback. This matchup is different.
It’s the first real examination in what the source describes as a make-or-break year for Green. Marvin Harrison Jr. has struggled so far, and Green needs to shut him down.
Michael Wilson has become Arizona’s top receiving threat, so a strong showing against both would keep optimism building.
Up front, the 49ers are dealing with major losses. The defensive front was supposed to feature Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and Odighizuwa.
But Bosa is out with a calf injury, Collins tore his Achilles, and Williams is still working back from his ACL injury last season. That leaves Odighizuwa as the lone projected starter still standing.
He has to shoulder a heavy load against an Arizona interior offensive line that is the weakest part of the Cardinals’ front. If Odighizuwa doesn’t produce, the 49ers may struggle to create pressure, and Arizona could stay in the game.
There’s also an opportunity waiting on offense for Jacob Cowing. When Demarcus Robinson went down in Week 2, the 49ers leaned on Cowing, who ran the second most routes of his career.
Robinson will be out again this week, and Cowing is expected to start in the slot with Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel. For him, this is the biggest chance of his three-year career.
The question is simple: can Cowing turn it into a real role?
The Cardinals do have one area where they can make life difficult. Their defense is weak overall, but strongest on the interior.
Walter Nolen, a former first-round pick with upside, is expected to line up against Colby for most of the day. Colby was shaky in Week 1 before settling in during Week 2, and Week 3 brings another test.
The 49ers need him to keep holding off Carver Willis.
In Other News...
49ers May Need To Revisit A Familiar Receiver Much Sooner Than Expected
The 49ers have already been forced to patch together their wide receiver room early in the season, and the addition of Brandin Cooks to the practice squad only underscores how quickly the depth chart has been tested. With injuries piling up at the position, San Francisco is clearly keeping its options open as it tries to stay afloat in a passing game that has relied on continuity in the past.
Jauan Jennings is the familiar name now hovering back around the conversation, especially if his time with the Vikings does not get on track. A possible move would not be about nostalgia so much as practicality: Jennings knows the 49ers offense, fits the system, and would give the team an experienced option if the current receiver situation keeps thinning out. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans Have Every Right To Be Angry Over Kyle Juszczyk Fine
The NFLs latest fine has landed squarely in the middle of one of the 49ers more harmless celebrations, and it has predictably rubbed plenty of people the wrong way. Kyle Juszczyk was docked $14,926 for what the league viewed as a chugging-a-beer gesture during the Week 2 game against the Dolphins, a penalty that turned a lighthearted moment into a talking point for San Francisco fans.
Juszczyk and his wife pushed back on the interpretation, saying the celebration was meant to mimic drinking juice, a nod to the fullbacks longtime nickname. Even by the NFLs sometimes baffling standards, the decision has drawn criticism from players and fans who see little reason to police a gesture that was clearly part of the moment and not a shot at anyone. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Injury Crunch Is Forcing An Unproven Receiver Into The Spotlight
The 49ers are heading into Week 3 with their receiver room thinned out by a mix of season-ending and short-term injuries, and that has quickly changed the conversation around who might be needed next. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said Jordan Watkins, a receiver with limited NFL experience, is among the players who should get opportunities because of the current crunch.
Watkins has barely seen the field in his previous seasons, which makes this an important chance for him to show he can handle a bigger role when the offense needs help. For San Francisco, it is another reminder of how quickly depth can get tested, and how a player who was more of an afterthought in August can suddenly become part of the weekly plan in September. [Read more 🡒]