Getty Kyle Shanahan
The San Francisco 49ers enter this weekend’s crucial matchup with the Arizona Cardinals potentially armed with a decisive advantage.
The Niners broke a four-game losing streak Sunday, October 31 with a road victory against the Chicago Bears, while the Cards fell for the first time in a gut-wrenching home defeat to the now NFC-leading Green Bay Packers. If the momentum factor wasn’t enough, Kyler Murray, Arizona’s MVP candidate under center, has missed practice all week with an ankle sprain.
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Mike Garafolo, of the NFL Network, first reported Murray’s absence from practice earlier this week. Garafolo noted in a social media post that Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was attempting to put an optimistic spin on his quarterback’s inability to take the field ahead of a showdown in San Francisco this Sunday.
#AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray (ankle) didn’t practice today. Kliff Kingsbury says Murray could play even if he doesn’t practice all week.
“#AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray (ankle) didn’t practice today,” Garafolo tweeted Wednesday, November 3. “Kliff Kingsbury says Murray could play even if he doesn’t practice all week.”
News coming out of Cardinals practice on Thursday indicates that circumstances are likely to test Kingsbury’s assertion, as NBC Sports reported that Murray was not on the field during the portion of practice that is open to the media for a second consecutive day.
Niners, Cardinals Health Issues Heading in Opposite Directions
GettyArizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray prepares to pass against the Green Bay Packers on October 28.
Murray told reporters on Wednesday that his ankle felt “good,” despite missing all possible practice time in the six days since injuring the joint during his team’s final drive against the Packers on Thursday, October 28. The QB threw an interception in the end zone on a 2nd and goal play with 12 seconds left in the game, with the Packers leading the Cardinals 24-21.
Whether Murray plays or not, an ankle sprain is a lingering sort of ailment and could prove a problem for the mobile quarterback even if he does suit up.
Murray is not the only prominent Cardinal to suffer a significant injury recently, either, as newly-acquired pass rusher J.J. Watt missed Thursday’s contest with Green Bay and was subsequently ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery.
The Niners, on the other hand, are getting somewhat back to themselves after injuries defined their losing ways over the last month.
San Francisco Finds Health at Crucial Time
Getty Jimmy Garoppolo and Deebo Samuel celebrate a 49ers touchdown at Chicago on Sunday, October 31.
San Francisco QB Jimmy Garoppolo returned from a calf issue last week against the Bears with his best game of the season, tallying 322 passing yards and scampering into the end zone twice as a ball carrier.
The veteran starter’s chances of throwing for a score or two against the Cardinals this weekend has increased substantially with the return of All-Pro tight end George Kittle from a calf injury of his own after a three-week stint on the injured reserve list (IR).
Joining Kittle on the roster by way of the IR is running back Jeff Wilson Jr., the team’s leading rusher from a year ago, and starting kicker Robbie Gould, who strained his groin during pregame warmups in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks.
San Francisco cut five players from its roster earlier this week to make room for the additions, though they remain in danger of losing a player or two ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Cardinals they can ill afford to be without.
One of the NFL’s leading wide receivers and Pro-Bowl candidate Deebo Samuel missed practice Wednesday with calf injury, while Elijah Mitchell, the Niners’ preferred backfield starter and second among all rookies in rushing yards, sat out the session to rest his injured ribs.