49ers 20 @ Cardinals 16 – Postgame Reactions
- Shaun Hill needs to play better. He took a lot of risks in double and triple coverage and threw some really bad passes. He had a difficult time getting rid of the ball on time and accurately, and seemed unable to read the blitz at times. That said, he got the best of the Cardinals on the drive leading to the go-ahead touchdown, with great protection from the O-Line.
- The Cardinals defense was as good as I thought they would be. Surprisingly enough they shut down the 49ers’ run game. They weren’t enough to stop the 49ers on the TD drive, though.
- The 49ers pass rush was outstanding, and it’s difficult to tell whether it was the defense or the Cardinals offensive line. Levi Brown gave up the most sacks in the league last season, and was awful in this game. The 49ers ran some good stunts, and the standouts (unsurprisingly) were Justin Smith and Parys Haralson. The Cardinals lineman appeared outmatched many times.
- The 49ers secondary impressed. They did not give up the big play, and came up with some great deflections. They had a lot of help from the pressure on Warner.
Overall I think the offense seemed to work through some of the inconsistency they experienced in the preseason. Obviously I expected the Cardinals offense to play much better than they did today. The 49ers won, but it was sloppy. The NFC West is not a strong division, and they’re going to have to pick it up if they’re going to win outside of it.
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