The San Francisco 49ers enter Sunday’s NFC West clash in Arizona under near must-win circumstances.
With a 6-4 record, they remain behind both the Seattle Seahawks (7-2) and Los Angeles Rams (7-2) for the division lead, while the Cardinals aren’t too far behind them at 3-6.
They may be above .500, but they’re not in the playoff picture just yet, which makes divisional battles like this absolutely critical.
One of the biggest storylines heading into the game has been 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who hasn’t played since Week 4 due to a right big-toe injury.
However, after returning to a limited practice on Wednesday and a full practice on Thursday, there’s growing optimism that he’ll be ready to suit up on Sunday.
With that in mind, Tim Kawakami, journalist for “The San Francisco Standard,” made a bold prediction, projecting that Purdy won’t just return to modest form, but that he could be the offensive star of the game.
“I don’t love picking a player who has missed eight of the last nine games and remains questionable for Sunday, but Purdy’s had some of the biggest performances of his career against the Cardinals,” Kawakami wrote. “It’d make sense if this game had been circled for a while as a return target. And the 49ers could use the emotional boost.”
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Purdy has appeared in just two games this season, throwing for 586 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions, and has been managed carefully as the team tried to nurse a turf-toe that flared twice early in the year.
In Purdy’s absence, Mac Jones started the bulk of games and has delivered a 5-3 ledger, completing 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions, along with a 97.4 passer rating, which ranks in the top half of the league.
Even outside of Purdy’s looming return, Arizona faces another setback in favor of the 49ers this week, with star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. sidelined following appendicitis surgery and officially out for Week 11.
This loss immediately strips Arizona of its biggest vertical threat and puts added pressure on the remaining receiving options in third-year wide receiver Michael Wilson and Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride.
Even with Purdy in line to play and Arizona without Harrison Jr., the 49ers are listed as just 2.5-point favorites.