GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals are two NFL teams that have had rough luck dealing with an avalanche of injuries so far this season, constantly shuffling important pieces through the lineup.
One team has weathered the storm significantly better than the other.
In an impressive show of resiliency, the 49ers (6-4) remain in the playoff race and are hoping for the return of starting quarterback Brock Purdy when San Francisco travels to face the Cardinals on Sunday. Purdy has played just two games this season because of a toe injury, throwing for 586 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy's mobility and accuracy were much better in practice last week, and he's trending toward playing for the first time since Week 4.
“You can just feel it," Shanahan said. “A guy you’ve been around for a while like I have Brock, you can just feel how the ball comes off, how he moves, how he reacts.”
The Cardinals (3-6) — who have lost six of their past seven — will be using backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett for the fifth straight game in place of two-time Pro Bowl selection Kyler Murray, who is on injured reserve because of a foot injury. Brissett has played well for the most part, throwing for 1,118 yards, eight touchdowns and an interception.
Now the Cardinals are also dealing with a run of injuries for the team's receivers. No. 1 option Marvin Harrison Jr. will be out because of surgery for appendicitis while Zay Jones (Achilles tendon) and Simi Fehoko (arm) were put on IR this week.
Third-year coach Jonathan Gannon said he wouldn't spend time making excuses.
“You see who’s available and you put a plan together," Gannon said. "That’s all I can really say about that. Everybody goes through it. (Plans) A, B, C, and D change weekly.”
The injury bug has hit some of Arizona's most important players this season.
The team named seven players captain before the season and at least four of them will miss the 49ers game. Murray, running back James Conner (foot), linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (ribs) and special teams ace Joey Blount (neck) are all out. That leaves center Hjalte Froholdt, defensive lineman Calais Campbell and safety Budda Baker as the team's leaders.
“That’s a good question — our captains will do a good job," Gannon said. “A lot of other guys got votes too and they know that. They need to step up and lead the team. It’s about the collective. I do think that when you have guys in and out of the lineup like that, people need to step up.”
The 49ers are still searching for their first big run of the season even with Christian McCaffrey back healthy. San Francisco is the only team in the NFL without a run of at least 20 yards and has gone 290 consecutive carries without one since Patrick Taylor’s 29-yarder against the Cardinals in Week 18 last season. The lack of big runs has contributed to the Niners averaging only 94.8 yards rushing per game for their worst total through 10 games since 2007.
“If you don’t get big runs, you’re never going to have those yards, you’re never going to have those stats,” Shanahan said. “I think we’ve done a better job running the ball here this last month, but we still haven’t found a big one and that’s what we need to get.”
Michael Wilson will get his shot to be the No. 1 option at receiver for the Cardinals on Sunday after Harrison had surgery earlier in the week because of appendicitis. Wilson is a third-year receiver out of Stanford who has been a solid No. 2 or No. 3 option throughout his career, with at least 500 yards receiving in his first two years.
“The only change is there's a little more anticipation of getting the rock a little more, knowing the ball is coming my way,” Wilson said. “But in terms of the way I play the game, I don't think it changes. My job description is still the same. It's to run fast, block, get open, catch the ball and be a good teammate.”
The expected returns of Purdy and Ricky Pearsall could open up the deep passing game for the 49ers as Mac Jones has focused more on getting rid of the ball quickly on short throws. With both Purdy and Pearsall out the past six games, the Niners are just 3 for 16 on throws at least 20 yards down field. The two connected on 4 of 6 deep throws in their two games together this season.
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