The San Francisco 49ers handled the rival Arizona Cardinals with ease, delivering their best offensive performance of the season. Brock Purdy’s return clearly helped the unit play closer to its true ceiling, and the expectation is that this group will only get more dangerous in the coming weeks.
On both sides of the ball, the team consistently created impact plays. This was arguably the win that most resembled the 2023 version of the 49ers, even with the long list of injuries they have been managing all year. Here are three things you need to know about San Francisco’s Week 11 victory over the Cardinals.
1) Brock Purdy Still Needs Some Time, but This Is His Team
For everyone who watched the game, it was clear that Purdy still needs some time to regain his best form. A few throws were riskier than they should have been, and on at least two occasions, he came close to being intercepted. His footwork still looked cautious, though he did try to buy time on a few plays.
That said, it is more than clear that Purdy was never truly threatened in his role. Even in a return game that could have been filled with mistakes, he executed the system cleanly enough for the 49ers to be perfect in the red zone, turning all four trips into touchdowns.
The People’s Tight End gets TWO today 😏
📺: FOX
NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/kzFl83mfXD— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 16, 2025
Purdy’s throw for George Kittle’s first touchdown only happened because he changed the play at the line of scrimmage, and Kittle’s second touchdown showed his strong pocket presence and the calm he has to find space and let his receivers attack the soft spots in coverage.
2) Christian McCaffrey Is the Most Important Playmaker on the Roster
There is no way to underestimate the impact that a healthy Christian McCaffrey brings to the 49ers offense. With another outstanding performance against the Cardinals, scoring three touchdowns and posting 121 scrimmage yards, McCaffrey passed 700 receiving yards and 700 rushing yards and reached 1,439 total yards on the season.
On a long third down, Purdy looked for McCaffrey, who elevated at the highest point to make a 15-yard catch that kept the drive alive. On the next play, he ran for 20 yards and put the team in a goal-to-go situation. He then punched in a four-yard touchdown run, his third score of the day.
CHRISTIAN. MCCAFFREY.
📺: FOX
NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/HFR4EnCUK2— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 17, 2025
In 2024, his absence exposed how essential he is to the offense, not only as a runner but as someone who can release into checkdown routes that can turn into big plays or even run routes from the slot or outside. McCaffrey’s versatility makes his contract worth every cent.
3) San Francisco Is Still Alive for the Division, but Some Concerns Remain
This was probably the most lopsided matchup the 49ers have faced, and the contrast with Week 10 makes that even clearer. The team that played the Rams faced a far more capable and well-structured offense, which allowed 42 points. This week, Arizona’s 22 points were heavily inflated in garbage time.
Still, the 49ers will not face an opponent every week that commits 17 penalties for 130 yards, throws two interceptions, and loses a fumble on the goal line. The defense earns every turnover, but this was an unusual scenario, and some issues remain.
The team converted only 3 of 9 third downs, surrendered 452 passing yards on a record 47 completions by Jacoby Brissett, and allowed two receivers to surpass 100 yards in Michael Wilson and Trey McBride. On top of that, Tatum Bethune left with an ankle injury, and Eddy Piñeiro suffered a hamstring injury and did not return.
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San Francisco now has a window to keep searching for a balance between offense and defense. They entered Week 11 with the ninth-best offense in the PFSN Offense Impact Meter at 82.9, while the defense opened the round ranked twenty-ninth in the PFSN Defense Impact Meter with a score of 64.7.
But the biggest takeaway from this game is that the offensive identity Kyle Shanahan values so much appears to be back, and fans should feel encouraged.
