San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals: Game Day Open Thread

The San Francisco 49ers are at home to take on the Arizona Cardinals, hoping to avenge their worst loss of the season.

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It’s just one loss in a season filled with them, but San Francisco’s week three epic 40 point beatdown at the hands of Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals might have done a lot to set the tone for the rest of San Francisco’s year.

It was a game in which Colin Kaepernick was picked four times – and had two of them go back for defensive scores. He finished the game 9-19 for 67 yards and an incredibly dismal QB rating of 16.7. Though it dropped the 49ers to just 1-2 on the season, Kaepernick never seemed able to shake off the confidence shattering loss and was incredibly ineffective in losing four of the next five games to all but seal San Francisco’s fate this season.

Of course, Kaepernick was benched in favor of Blaine Gabbert to start the game against the Atlanta Falcons which very well may have brought Kaepernick’s time in San Francisco to an end.

Coming into the game, the 49ers (3-7) essentially have nothing to play for but pride at this point. The Cardinals though, at 8-2, have everything to continue playing for.

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Is it possible that the 49ers find it within themselves to rise up and shock the Cardinals? It has been seven years since Arizona has won a road game against San Francisco after all. Could Blaine Gabbert somehow put this team on his shoulders and lead them to a big upset win?

The Cardinal don’t seem to be taking Gabbert lightly, with safety Tyrann Matthieu going so far during a recent interview, to say:

"“Gabbert is taking care of the football better. The receivers are more involved so it’s a good challenge for us. It seems like Gabbert has a better understanding of coverages and getting his receivers involved. He’s an underrated passer. We know those guys are going to come out fired up, ready to prove a point.”"

If former 49er linebacker Bill Romanowski is to be believed, Gabbert’s better understanding of coverages and getting his receivers involved may stem from the idea that he spent “four to five times” as much time studying film that Kaepernick did.

Of course, that could simply be the San Francisco spin machine throwing dirty on Kaepernick’s grave, hastening his exit from the team. Hey, it’s not like these “leaks” of information and declarations of opinion that paint a person the team is getting ready to jettison is unprecedented – just ask Jim Harbaugh about that.

Logic though, says that the 49ers simply don’t have enough bullets in their gun to take down the NFC West leading Cardinals. Arizona seems to be on a mission and is a team that is firing on all cylinders. They’re riding a four game winning streak and are scoring points by the bushel.

Of course, some might see that as the perfect makings for a trap game that Palmer and the Cardinals might fall into. It doesn’t seem likely however. Bruce Arians is going to have his team ready to roll.

There are plenty of talking points and storylines from another week of drama for the 49ers. From Romanowski putting Kaepernick on blast to former lineman Anthony Davis calling a former teammate “soft,” it’s been another roller coaster of a week in a season that’s been unbelievably chaotic.

Next: San Francisco 49ers: Previewing the Cardinals

So what is on your mind, 49ers fans? What has you talking and what has you fired up today? This is your place to stand up, speak out, and be heard. So let’s hear what you’re thinking. Time to sound off!