Division games. They’re the ultimate curveball. Not only do these teams know eachother best, but they are literally built to beat each other. Football is a small sample size game, so the six games against your division account for a huge chunk of the season. Teams will pull out all the stops and trick plays to win these games - especially as the underdog.

So, though we would typically pencil in an easy win for the San Francisco 49ers here, we have to account for the nature of division games. The 49ers are currently 2-0 with decisive wins over the Rams and Dolphins. The Arizona Cardinals surprised a lot of folks by knocking off the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, but came back to earth in Week 2 against another division rival, the Seattle Seahawks. We’ll factor all of that and more into our favorite predictions, picks, and odds for Cardinals vs. 49ers here in Week 3. 

 

🏅 Cardinals vs. 49ers Expert Pick: Brock Purdy/Jacoby Brissett Either Player Pass Yards +275  (+115 on DraftKings)

This line is super interesting to me in this matchup. It’s actually a pretty simple bet because you get both Brock Purdy and Jacoby Brissett here and, if either of them throws for 275+ yards, it hits. That covers my two main narratives for the way I think this game will go.

In one version, the 49ers are out in front of the Cardinals all game. If that happens, we might get gunslinger Brissett as we saw for much of last year when he actually AVERAGED 280 yards per game in his 12 starts. For better or worse, we know he’s capable of letting it fly.

On the other side, we actually have a couple of outs because of the ways the 49ers create chunk plays. Last week, for instance, Purdy only threw 22 times but was so efficient he still cleared 275 yards with 277 yards and 20 completions. And if the Cardinals can push back some, the 49ers won’t take their foot off the gas as they did against the Dolphins. Going this route gives access to a lot of different realistic angles without being subject to as much of the divisional weirdness that comes with betting the game lines. 

 

 

 

👀 How To Watch Cardinals vs. 49ers NFL Week 3

  • Where: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
  • When: 4:05 PM ET on 9/27
  • Watch on TV: FOX
  • Where to stream: NFL+

 

🔢 Cardinals vs. 49ers Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

 

 

 

🏉 Cardinals vs. 49ers Injury Report & Latest News

As we’ve harped on throughout, this is an NFC West showdown, so anything can happen. The biggest storylines all year on the 49ers side have been injuries. Substation jokes aside, they have a lot of important pieces, especially on offense with wide receivers Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, and Christian Kirk. That forced them to bring back veteran Deebo Samuel. As of this week, Nick Bosa (knee/calf) missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, and a new calf issue popped up. If he can’t go, that takes away some pressure on Arizona’s passing game. WR Mike Evans (hip) also sat out both days but he was seen doing side work and it doesn't look like a major concern. Demarcus Robinson (high-ankle sprain) and James Thompson Jr. (high-ankle sprain) are expected to miss time, and Romello Height had hand surgery earlier this week. Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams and Dre Greenlaw were all full participants after rest days. George Kittle has also yet to top 52% route participation coming off an Achilles injury, so we’ll have to see what his usage is like. 

On the Arizona side, it’s all about the new regime with Mike LaFleur and company. They’re attempting to shake things up with a weapons group from last year that is largely intact, led by Jacoby Brissett. New running back Jeremiyah Love is looking to show why he was a first-round pick, while former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. needs to prove that he belongs in the NFL. On the injury front, DT Roy Lopez (groin) didn't practice Thursday. C Hjalte Froholdt (knee), CB Garrett Williams (Achilles), CB Max Melton (toe), and S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (back) were all limited. If Williams or Melton can't play, this defense gets very thin against the 49ers' passing game, which is good for our bet. Keep an eye on Friday's final report before we lock things in.

 

💲 How To Make Cardinals vs. 49ers Predictions At DraftKings & Claim A $200 Sportsbook Bonus

  1. Click here 👈🏼 to join DraftKings
  2. Place a $5 bet
  3. Get $200 in bonus bets!