The Arizona Cardinals head into an important intradivision game against the San Francisco 49ers. They’ll do so without facing All-Pro pass rusher Nick Bosa. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Bosa injured his calf this week in practice and is expected to miss “a few weeks.”
Even though the 49ers are without their best pass rusher, their defense is still a force to be reckoned with. They’ll need better execution than they had against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 to have a chance to win.
The Cardinals head to Levi’s Stadium to take on the 49ers. It’s a critical intradivision matchup for a team that is 3-16 against NFC West opponents since Monti Ossenfort was hired as the general manager before the 2023 season.
Arizona will host the 49ers at State Farm Stadium in Week 18.
What the Nick Bosa News Means for the Cardinals
The Cardinals won’t have to face Nick Bosa. Instead, they’ll see a lot of Keion White and Romello Height on the edge.
Starting tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Elijah Wilkinson struggled in their loss to the Seahawks. The two bookends will have to play a better game in Week 3 to give Jacoby Brissett and the passing game a better chance to move the ball.
Even without Bosa, the 49ers defense is loaded with Pro Bowlers. They have to contend with four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner in the middle of their defense.
It will be especially imperative for the Cardinals to stay on schedule on offense. That means staying in manageable down-and-distance situations. That was something they did well in the first half against Seattle, but terribly in the second half as the game snowballed from them.
Getting the run game and play-action passing game going is important for the Cardinals to find space to operate against a stout 49ers defense. If it’s another long day for the offense, then Bosa’s absence really won’t have any impact on the game’s outcome.
Cardinals Get Major Nick Bosa Injury News Before 49ers Week 3 Clash