Offense helps keep 49ers unbeaten with win over Cardinals

You know the ultimate football belief: defense wins. For the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, you’d better add it if played at the most opportune moments.

The Niners gave up plenty of yards, especially in the second half, but when it mattered most, San Francisco came up with the stops it needed and eventually secured a 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium.

“I feel very confident with the team,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan after the 49ers extended their record to 3-0.

The Niners did what was necessary with the ball from the very start, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive for the third consecutive game this season — a feat they hadn’t accomplished in years.

And when a comfortable lead dwindled to just two points with less than three minutes remaining, the reliable quarterback Brock Purdy connected with the reliable tight end George Kittle on a 20-yard touchdown pass, easing whatever anxiety remained.

Shanahan, the offensive master, said, “He feels he can trust Purdy to do whatever he wants to call.”  

That trust has been rewarded with a victory in every Niner game so far this short season. After all, the only statistic that means anything is the win-loss record.

It was the usual suspects combining to pile up yards and give the Niners an early advantage: Purdy passing for 297 yards and four touchdowns on 15-of-27 attempts; Christian McCaffrey rushing 15 times for 75 yards and a touchdown; Kittle catching six passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns; and, in what might be called a trick play, Purdy connecting with Mike Evans, who lateraled to Deebo Samuel on a play that covered 80 yards and gave the Niners a 7-0 lead.

“I was having fun,” Kittle said, pointing out that Purdy “leads his team at a high level.” That’s what your quarterback is paid millions to do.

Purdy was as delighted with Shanahan’s offense as Shanahan was with Purdy. “Great play calling by Shanahan,” the quarterback said. “He had the right look.”

Next weekend the Niners play the Denver Broncos, who Sunday night, a few hours after the Niners’ victory, scored a stunning victory of their own, coming from behind to defeat the Los Angeles Rams, 30-26. Life exists game-to-game in the NFL, so you take pride in any win and try to learn from every loss. 

Not to be ignored is the 49ers’ offensive line. San Francisco has not allowed a sack so far this year, the first time in the history of the franchise they’ve gone three games without one.  

The skill players receive much of the attention for gaining yards and touchdowns, but it’s the guys up front who open the holes and protect the passer.

On the other side of the ball, San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner did as much as possible to slow an Arizona attack that made enough noise and yards to keep the Niners off balance until the end.