A Valiant Effort Falls Short
The Arizona Cardinals fought back from a significant deficit to make the final minutes of Sunday’s contest at Levi’s Stadium genuinely thrilling, yet they ultimately could not overcome San Francisco’s offensive efficiency. Despite a furious late surge that included two fourth-quarter touchdowns and a successful one-point conversion, the visitors finished with a 30-36 loss to the host 49ers on September 27, 2026.
Purdy Directs Efficient Offense
San Francisco established control early and maintained it through balanced scoring. Quarterback Brock Purdy was instrumental in the victory, completing 15 of 27 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns.
His connection with tight end George Kittle proved pivotal; Kittle hauled in six catches for 82 yards and two scores, including a crucial 20-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that extended the lead to 36-27.
The 49ers opened the scoring in the first period when Purdy connected with Mike Evans on a short pass that lateralled to Deebo Samuel for an 80-yard gain. Eddy Pineiro’s kick made it 7-0. San Francisco added another touchdown before halftime on another Purdy-to-Evans connection, a 23-yard strike that pushed the lead to 14-0 after Pineiro’s extra point.
Arizona’s Resilient Drive
Arizona’s offense, led by Jacoby Brissett, refused to fold. Brissett completed 38 of 52 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, keeping the Cardinals within striking distance despite facing a deficit that reached 14-6 at one point in the second quarter. Kicker Chad Ryland provided steady points from the ground, kicking field goals of 26, 41, and 49 yards, along with all his extra points.
The Cardinals began chipping away at the lead in the third quarter. Michael Wilson caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brissett to make it 13-23. Arizona’s ground game also contributed, with Jeremiyah Love rushing 21 times for 90 yards, though he did not score.
Fourth Quarter Drama
The final period saw the Cardinals mount a serious threat. Brissett threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiyah Love and later ran in from one yard out himself, completing a 17-point fourth-quarter surge. However, San Francisco answered with two more touchdowns. Christian McCaffrey rushed for a 1-yard score in the third quarter, and Kittle’s late 10-yard reception in the fourth helped preserve the lead.
Despite the impressive statistical performances from Brissett and Love, and the timely kicking from Ryland, Arizona could not secure the tie-breaking score. The loss drops the Cardinals to 1-2 on the season, while the 49ers improve to 3-0 with their victory in front of 70,687 fans.
Sources
ESPN
