Cardinals 24, 49ers 18: Murray, Conner power Arizona past winless San Francisco

SANTA CLARA, CA - The San Francisco 49ers' nightmare start continued Sunday as Jeff Jarin's club fell to 0-3 after a 24-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Behind a balanced effort from Kyler Murray and James Conner, Arizona silenced the Levi's Stadium crowd and handed the 49ers their third straight defeat.

Game Recap

The Cardinals struck early, jumping out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead on a 16-yard Murray touchdown run and a 40-yard strike to Trey McBride. San Francisco chipped away, getting a 51-yard field goal from Jake Moody before halftime, but turnovers loomed large.

Murray finished 15-of-24 for 176 yards and one touchdown, adding 45 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. Conner was a constant problem for the 49ers' front, rushing for 128 yards on just 15 carries. Defensively, linebacker Cody Simon delivered the biggest play of the game, intercepting Brock Purdy in the final minute to seal the win.

San Francisco had rallied to within six points late in the fourth quarter and had the ball deep in Arizona territory with a chance to steal the game. But Purdy, who threw for 377 yards and a touchdown, was picked off by Simon with under a minute left, crushing the 49ers' comeback hopes. Rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall had a breakout performance with 192 receiving yards, while George Kittle added 90. Still, turnovers and red-zone miscues proved costly.

Key Stats

Jaylen Conner averaged 8.5 yards per carry with three runs of 20-plus yards, pacing Arizona's ground attack. Murray accounted for three total touchdowns, while the Cardinals' defense forced three interceptions and one fumble. Purdy's 377-yard day was overshadowed by three costly picks, two of them hauled in by Simon. Pearsall was San Francisco's bright spot, turning seven catches into nearly 200 yards.

Quotes

"We knew we had to start fast," Murray said. "The defense gave us chances, and we capitalized."

Jarin, visibly frustrated postgame, said: "You can't win turning the ball over four times. We moved the ball well, but mistakes are killing us."

Up Next

Arizona (2-1) returns home to host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, a quick-turn divisional test. San Francisco (0-3) stays at Levi's Stadium to welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars, where Jeff Jarin's club will try to stop the skid and grab its first win.