49ers' late touchdown and onside recovery halt Arizona comeback in 36-30 loss
The Arizona Cardinals rallied in the second half but could not overcome a 17-point halftime deficit in a 36-30 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. The visitors closed to within two points during a spirited comeback, but San Francisco put the finishing touch on the game when Brock Purdy connected with George Kittle for a touchdown with 1:31 left in the fourth quarter.
Arizona added a field goal with 0:34 remaining, but the score proved insufficient. The 49ers sealed the result by recovering an onside kick with only seconds left on the clock, extinguishing Arizona’s final chance.
Offensively, Jacoby Brissett completed 38 of 52 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions, but the late push did not translate into a win.
Penalties and protection problems halted momentum
Discipline was a recurring issue for the Cardinals. Arizona was flagged 10 times, penalties that directly derailed two red-zone drives and forced the team to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. “Any time in the first half when we got something going, and then we’d have self-inflicted wounds,” Jacoby Brissett said after the game. “Against good teams, it’s like being a death wish. Against good teams, you can’t do that. You can’t beat yourself and try to beat them.”
Protection problems compounded the Cards’ issues. Brissett spent much of the afternoon under duress despite being credited with only two sacks. Both interior and tackle spots have struggled this season, and Arizona’s offensive front failed repeatedly to provide consistent time in the pocket.
Sports Illustrated characterized the lack of pass protection as “eye-opening” and suggested that schematic adjustments were not adequate, writing that the issue “partly falls on LaFleur and his lack of adjustments for blitzes/heavy boxes.” Those assessments underscore why Arizona’s offense, while statistically productive, could not convert pressure and penalties into enough points to win.
The result left the Cardinals with another close defeat against a division rival, highlighting a familiar combination of offensive production hindered by self-inflicted mistakes and protection shortcomings. Despite a late surge and efficient passing numbers, Arizona’s miscues and inability to sustain clean pockets ultimately determined the outcome at Levi’s Stadium.
