The San Francisco 49ers did not have a successful start to the 2016 season. They come off the bye week at 1-7. Key injuries and a change at quarterback are partly to blame. Their young defensive line has been hit hard by injuries. Arik Armstead is done for the season after an MRI revealed he needed surgery on his left shoulder. Also, Armstead’s replacement Quinton Dial is playing through injury. Nose tackles Glenn Dorsey and Mike Purcell are also toughing it out through lingering injuries. Regardless, the 49ers come into week ten with a tough divisional matchup.
The Arizona Cardinals have also had a disappointing start to the year. At 3-4-1 the Cardinals sit second in the NFC West. Both teams will look to come out of the bye week with a win. There are three keys the 49ers must control to achieve an upset victory on Sunday, and one is swarming Carson Palmer.
San Francisco 49ers Week Ten Keys to Victory
Pressure Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury since week seven. Palmer is not known as a mobile quarterback, and this injury has made him even less mobile. This will make it easier for the defense to keep Palmer in the pocket. Palmer, though not quick, can make big plays while scrambling. Larry Fitzgerald has a way of getting open the longer a play runs on. The 49ers defense needs to disguise coverage’s and formations. Stunts and delayed blitzes will open up gaps in the Cardinals offensive line. Palmer will not be able to avoid the pressure and this will lead to sacks, negating the threat of Fitzgerald. In instances where the pressure does not get to Palmer, the defensive line needs to get their hands up and knock down passes. There will be a greater opportunity for knock downs with Palmer confined to the pocket.
Exploit an Injured Cardinals Secondary
Much like the 49ers defensive line, the Cardinals secondary has been hit with the injury bug. Though safety Tyrann Mathieu is recovering quicker than expected from a shoulder injury, he will still likely miss this game. This gives rookie Brandon Williams the chance to start. Along with Mathieu, cornerbacks Justin Bethel and Tharold Simon are both playing through injuries. The 49ers can exploit this weakness with a lot of formation changes and play action. Along with this, quick snaps and no huddle will create confusion and disruption in the Cardinals secondary. The 49ers should also take a few deep shots with Torrey Smith. The Arizona corners could be vulnerable to getting burnt on a fly or post route, especially late in the game.
Win Third Down Battle
One thing the 49ers can do to help their chance of victory is to keep their offense on the field. This keeps the defense fresh and encouraged. A part of staying on the field is converting on third down. To this point in the season the 49ers are a dismal 39/111 on third down. This leads to a total time of possession for the season at 25:31, which is extremely low for week ten. This is in part a consequence of Chip Kelly’s offensive scheme. Arizona tops San Francisco in this category, completing 48/114 on third down.
The 49ers need to flip this statistic in this game. Let the clock run, and keep the ball on the ground. Even if the 49ers get behind early they must not fall into the passing trap. They must stay with their strength, which is the run game and be patient. Run on first and second down, leaving manageable third downs, and don’t get behind the chains. This gives San Francisco the best chance to keep the Cardinals offense off the field and limit their time of possession.
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