Cardinals rally by 49ers to remain undefeated
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Breaking down the Cardinals' 23-14 victory over the 49ers.
What happened: The Arizona Cardinals remain in first place in the NFC West — and are the only undefeated team in the division — with a come-from-behind win against the San Francisco 49ers. Backup quarterback Drew Stanton, making his second start in place of Carson Palmer, who continues to deal with a nerve issue in his arm, threw a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes. It's a huge win for the Cardinals, who had lost nine of their last 10 games against San Francisco. But the concerning issue here for the 49ers is a third consecutive game with a terrible second half. After building a 14-6 lead at halftime thanks to two beautiful drives led by Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers were shut out. San Francisco has now been outscored 52-3 in the second half this season.
What you'll be talking about: Welcome to the John Brown era in Arizona. The rookie wide receiver has made veteran Larry Fitzgerald, one of the greatest Cardinals in franchise history, the forgotten man in Arizona's offense. Brown, a third-round pick out of Pittsburgh State, was uncoverable in the second half, catching Stanton's first touchdown passes since 2010. Fitzgerald was targeted only once in the first half and didn't catch his first pass until the fourth quarter. That catch — and his tough yards after it that drew a personal foul call on San Francisco's Patrick Willis — drew some of the loudest cheers of the day. But right now, it seems Fitzgerald's main draw for the Cardinals is nostalgic. The future is here now, with Brown.
What's next: The Cardinals head into their bye week at 3-0 and with a one-game lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West, and a two-game lead now over San Francisco. The Cardinals will play next on Oct. 5 against the Denver Broncos, who will be coming off their own bye week, likely still reeling from their loss to Seattle. San Francisco returns to Santa Clara to host the Philadelphia Eagles at Levi's Stadium. After struggling against Drew Stanton and Co., the 49ers will need to quickly figure out something that might work against the Eagles' high-powered offense.
Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones.