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The San Francisco 49ers improved to 3-0 and took sole possession of first place in the NFC West with a 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, but the win came at a steep price. Hosts Carter Chickering and Sterling Bennett react live on 95.7 The Game’s "Overtime" to a chaotic divisional clash.
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00:00Well, the game is not officially over.
00:03The game is not officially over, but it seems to be as good as over as Arizona is trying to
00:10drive down the field now with about a minute left.
00:13They're down nine points, so it's pretty safe to say at this point that the 49ers will win the game.
00:18But man, my man Sterling Bennett, how we doing, buddy?
00:25Shaking in my boots.
00:27Yeah, Sterling, that's one of those wins where you're like, yeah, I'm glad you won.
00:33But it felt like almost a loss because you just see guy go down after guy go down after guy
00:40go down.
00:41And injuries is the one thing this team could not afford to take today.
00:45And not only did they take it, but they took it in the masses, it felt like.
00:50Yeah, it's like you won, but at what cost, right?
00:52Mike Evans goes down, Dre Greenlaw goes down, comes back in, then goes back down again.
00:57Grayson Halden goes down.
00:58It's like every single player that has to play a big role on this roster is somehow falling onto the
01:05wayside.
01:05Well, really falling onto the medical cart, going to the locker room to get checked on because, my goodness, man.
01:10And it's just, you won.
01:13You're 3-0.
01:14Let's cheer.
01:15Let's be happy.
01:16You are right now because the Seahawks lost against the Commanders.
01:20The first place, San Francisco 49ers.
01:24That deserves some praise.
01:27However, it doesn't mean the long-term outlook is very good right now for a team that is 3-0.
01:33That does have a lot of their star players on the sideline, not in between the white lines.
01:39But again, Carter, 3-0.
01:41I couldn't think of a better way, minus the injuries, to start this season.
01:45Yeah, I mean, Seattle loses, as you say.
01:47They had won 15 straight on the road.
01:50They go to Washington today.
01:52My goodness.
01:52And Marcus Mariota, not even Jaden Daniels, takes down Seattle.
01:57You can thank me for that Bay Area because I bet on them, of course.
02:00So, of course, they're going to lose.
02:02That's the way it goes, Sterling.
02:04Fortune teller.
02:04Yeah, that's the way it goes, of course.
02:07But obviously, that's big for the 49ers.
02:10But the bigger thing was getting this win under their belt with everything, it's seemingly,
02:13I don't want to say going wrong, but I think we saw some weaknesses from the 49ers today, Sterling.
02:20I think we hadn't seen in the previous two weeks.
02:24Hey, go back one week ago.
02:26Wasn't it you that said, I want to see these boys get tested?
02:30Yeah.
02:30Well, man, they were tested in more ways than one today.
02:34Obviously, the injuries are a big part of this, but give the Cardinals credit.
02:38We knew they had one path to victory and one path only.
02:43That was running the football with how San Francisco's defensive line is depleted.
02:48And Jeremiah Love had his breakout game.
02:51He was fantastic all evening.
02:53Tyler Auger wasn't, but Love, the number four overall draft pick, or three overall draft pick,
02:58was tremendous today, and kept the Cardinals in this one.
03:02They played keep away throughout and narrowly almost pulled this thing out had it not been
03:07for a Brock Purdy and George Kittle connection because there really was nobody else to throw
03:13to, so it kind of had to be George Kittle.
03:15But by the skin of their teeth, San Francisco skates by and gets the W.
03:21But, I mean, you need to have the MVP Purdy conversation just yet.
03:26When things are going wrong, who has two back-to-back touchdown drives to keep you ahead?
03:31Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Brock Purdy.
03:35No, no doubt, but we're going to get into the quarterback.
03:38We always love getting into the quarterback, Sterling.
03:40I think that we saw Brock come back to earth a little bit today.
03:46Still a very good game.
03:47You still score, I mean, 36 points, but it felt like the previous couple games,
03:53he was almost inhuman.
03:56Like, it was just perfection.
03:58And today, I saw some uh-oh throws from Brock Purdy.
04:01Am I crazy, Sterling?
04:03No, you're not wrong.
04:04He forced one to Mike Evans, the one he actually got hurt on with a rib sprain, a rib.
04:11Weird injury there.
04:12Hopefully, Mike Evans is okay for obvious reasons.
04:15But that, I think, you have to give credit to the Cardinals.
04:19The Sniders offensive line, this is probably their worst game so far this season.
04:22The Cardinals defense gave them some different looks, put some pressure on Brock Purdy,
04:26and guys couldn't get open.
04:28When you're relying on Debo Samuel, who is a good player,
04:32but technically isn't a wide receiver.
04:34He's a wide back, a running back, playing wide receiver.
04:37Mike Evans goes down, and then all the focus goes towards George Cattle and Christian McCaffrey,
04:42and then it's Jordan Watkins, who had two big plays today, but that was it.
04:45Jacob Cowan can't get open to save his life.
04:47Then it's Kadero Hodge, who's a special team or practice squad guy out there,
04:52playing pivotal snaps for you.
04:53So, yes, Brock Purdy made some 0-0 throws.
04:56He has yet to throw a pick since week one, thankfully.
05:00One turnover all year.
05:01I think he has nine touchdowns so far this year, 9-1 TD-I and T-Ratio.
05:06You take that every single year if you can.
05:07It's a lot better than Drake May, Sterling.
05:10Oh, man.
05:10Don't get me started, brother.
05:12MVP, Ron and Rob who?
05:13Yeah.
05:13Not Drake May, man.
05:15Eight touchdowns to 15 turnovers, I believe, for him.
05:17So, at least Purdy, 9-1, we'll take that, right, my man?
05:21Of course, of course, but you are right.
05:23You are right.
05:24This was, if you want to categorize it as the worst version of Brock Purdy we've seen so far,
05:30now that worst, again, is 36 points, three touchdowns, no turnovers,
05:35but I think we would all agree that this game was a lot closer than anybody would have liked it
05:41to be,
05:41but on the other side, you know this, Carter, and so do I, it's a divisional game.
05:46These games are never supposed to be easy,
05:48and the Cardinals have always given San Francisco fits,
05:50whether it's Kyla Murray, whether it's Colt McCoy, now Brissette and Jeremiah Love.
05:55You have to win these games.
05:56You have to.
05:57These are games that are given to you, but also games that you know are going to be tough to
06:00win during the year,
06:02and you happen to be playing a bad team overall, but a team that often does give you problems,
06:06and you got the win, and that's what's really important here.
06:09You're now 3-0 on the year and 2-0 in your division.
06:13Big wins early for San Francisco thus far.
06:16I think, honestly, Sterling, when they play Arizona, it's the biggest trap game always of the year to me,
06:22because, as you said, you can coin the term divisional opponents are always harder games,
06:27and for some reason, people give Bonte the credit for saying that, which is just so odd.
06:32It's one of the older terms, I feel like, in football, but whatever.
06:35We'll give it to Bonte.
06:36That's my guy.
06:38He coined it, I guess.
06:39Yeah, he coined it, I guess.
06:41No, and I think we saw a really good example of this in 2024, which is a game still to
06:46this day
06:47that makes me sick when Arizona came in here with Kyler Murray.
06:50Kyler starts the game with that 50-yard touchdown scamper, and somehow they come from behind
06:55and beat us at home, and obviously that was not dreamy season at all.
07:00That was a season from hell almost, but, you know, it still gives you nightmares,
07:04and so I texted you early in the third quarter saying this is far from over, and this is just
07:10a team.
07:10It just feels like never goes away.
07:12It's like a little gnat buzzing around your head when you're the 49ers.
07:16Well, it also helps the Cardinals, too, when San Francisco is this banged up,
07:20and they're so depleted where the Cardinals' offensive strength allows them to keep themselves in the game.
07:27Now, I don't want to call out some referees in this one because the Niners won.
07:33It wasn't the reason they were going to lose, but you're calling DPIs on the offensive tight end,
07:38pulling face masks on Lenore in the end zone to give the Cardinals a first down on your one-yard
07:43line.
07:43What are we doing, right?
07:44There were some phantom holding calls.
07:46Brock Purdy's 55-yard touchdown run gets negated, which would have won the game.
07:51He scores one later anyways to George Kittle to ice this one, but, man,
07:55the most electrifying play in the game besides the Niners' first touchdown for 82 yards didn't even count.
08:01Imagine if that play is running on ESPN and SportsCenter all weekend.
08:05Brock Purdy's 55-yard touchdown run untouched to end it all.
08:09But, no, we'll take a good George Kittle touchdown pass to end it as well.
08:13But, you know, look, the Niners, this was a grinded-out victory.
08:17Good teams win games like this.
08:20When your back's against the wall, how do you fight back?
08:23Well, they won.
08:24That's what matters.
08:25Good teams win, Sterling.
08:26Great teams cover, and they even covered the spread somehow at the end with that Kittle touchdown.
08:32Pretty shocking.
08:33Kind of funny you bring that up, that Kittle's the one that does the hold,
08:37and then he says, you know what?
08:38Because you took my touchdown back, I'm going to give you the touchdown.
08:41You know?
08:42Funny how that works.
08:44It's like, go ahead, go ahead.
08:47No, I was going to say, but honestly, you're just grateful for a win.
08:50And I did get very nervous there toward the end, and it felt like things were starting
08:54to go right even late for the Cardinals when they get that timeout right before the two-minute
09:01warning there, and you're like, oh, my gosh.
09:04You're just like, ah.
09:05I cannot tell you, my wife has been gone all weekend, bachelorette party in Palm Springs.
09:10It's me and the dog.
09:11The amount of times the dog said, Dad, I'm scared, brother.
09:15You got to stop yelling at the TV.
09:17And I'm like, dude, this is starting to make me upset.
09:21And I'm sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails.
09:23Like, why are we calling passing plays a second before the two-minute warning, Kyle?
09:28Run the ball.
09:29Ice the clock.
09:30Get this thing over with.
09:31And you give the Cardinals an extra timeout.
09:33Thankfully, it doesn't cost you anything because Christian McCaffrey hulks up the next play
09:38and gets you a 12-yard run when he was stopped six yards short.
09:42My God, that was incredible.
09:44But despite stuff like this, Shanahan's play clock, it just doesn't – the management's
09:50not there still.
09:51After all the ups and downs, it's not there, Carter, and it still makes me upset to this
09:54day.
09:55Sterling, you've been without your wife for a week and you're complaining?
09:58That sounds like heaven.
09:59It's just you and the dog?
10:01It's been very quiet at the house, I will say.
10:05The first three days are great, and then you're like, where are you?
10:07All right, I'm ready for you to come home.
10:10She's coming home tonight.
10:11When this show's over, I have to go drive an hour to pick her up and bring her back,
10:14and I'm going to say, honey, Niners won.
10:17Also, I love you.
10:18Yeah.
10:18Clearly, naming the most important thing first, Niners getting the victory today.
10:22Oh, no, no, truly, truly, Sterling.
10:25But they get the victory at a cost.
10:28And listen, Sterling, we're going to get probably into the injuries a lot today, which I'm sure
10:33people are sick of hearing, but the Mike Evans thing, to me, obviously, is the really concerning
10:39one.
10:40You know, you kind of get the notification on your phone that Trent Williams suffers a
10:46stinger.
10:47Usually, that's a pretty quick turnaround, right?
10:49Maybe he'll sit out this game because they're pretty painful, but he should be back.
10:55Grayson Holden, I mean, we don't really know, right?
10:58Yeah, we don't really know, but it feels like the Mike Evans one could be serious, and we
11:04have seen what he can do for this team, Sterling.
11:07He's added an element to this team that they just have not had, really, in the past, and
11:12Brock Purdy could be out without his new number one guy.
11:16What do you think, Sterling?
11:18Did you see the stat that they said or put on the screen on the Fox broadcast today?
11:24No, give it to me.
11:25It was Mike Evans, thus far, has 12 receptions.
11:3011 of them have gone for first downs, and two of them have been for touchdowns.
11:35Nuts.
11:37He's literally Juwan Jennings, but with touchdowns added on to it.
11:41Yeah.
11:41Like, he has been so clutch.
11:43The big touchdown catch today to get San Francisco there, you know, two-touchdown advantage, and
11:49to see the way he went down and did not get back up until they got him to the sideline,
11:54where he kind of got back up and then kind of fell back over or was holding his ribs,
11:58and it was like, what's happening here?
12:00Like, that's one of the more scary injuries because there was no clear-cut, like, what
12:04exactly happened.
12:05It wasn't a non-contact Achilles or a knee, like, where you can kind of point those things
12:09out and say, okay, I understand what's happening here.
12:12Nobody really could process what it was besides Mike grabbing his side.
12:16Well, grabbing your side could mean a rib, an adductor.
12:19It could be an apodectomy.
12:20Like, what's going on, right?
12:22It could be anything.
12:23And so it was terrifying to see a guy who's 34 years old kind of collapse on the sideline,
12:27being like, help me.
12:28I got you.
12:28Someone come and get me.
12:30But it seems like everything's okay, you know, in regards to his long-term health.
12:36I think what the report was from NFL Networks or ESPNs now, Ian Rappaport, it wasn't like
12:43a tear or a broken rib.
12:45He'll get further evaluations tomorrow.
12:48But it didn't sound like it was too bad.
12:50It was a rib strain.
12:52That was the terminology used there.
12:54I don't know how you strain a rib.
12:55That's a brand-new injury.
12:57Like, how do you strain a bone?
13:00I don't know how that works.
13:01I know a doctor.
13:02Doc Pandia, where are you at?
13:03Please help us out.
13:04But, like, they're making new injuries up for the Niner players because there's so many
13:08things happening right now, Carter.
13:09Yeah, and we know we don't have to worry about him going on IR, potentially, because they
13:14probably don't have the spots to put him there.
13:17So, you know.
13:17Oh, we laugh in pain.
13:19I know.
13:19Sterling, of course, is what you have to do.
13:21At first, I thought, like, whoa, did he puncture his lung?
13:24The way he was breathing like that?
13:26I mean, obviously, when you crack a rib or break a rib, it does hurt to breathe.
13:30I've never done it, but so I've heard.
13:33But I had real concern when I saw him come up like that and then drop to a knee when
13:37he
13:37got to the sideline like that.
13:38It looked like he was just in some serious, serious pain.
13:42We've got to take a break, Sterling.
13:44But on the other side, we're going to get more into it.
13:45There's a lot to talk about from this game.
13:47I think there's a lot that differed from the first two weeks in this game.
13:51I mean, one thing to me that differed is we saw much more Christian McCaffrey today than
13:56Kalon Black.
13:57I mean, obviously, Kalon got his touches late in the fourth there, but I think, you know,
14:01they gave Christian the ball a lot today.
14:03So we're going to get into it.