THE STORY: SANTA CLARA, Calif. — James Conner wasn’t there, a victim to an injury that stole the Cardinals’ heart and soul from the lineup.
Whether he could’ve helped the offense finally salt a game away with the ball in their hands is an unknown. But the Cardinals didn’t for a third straight game, and this time, the defense couldn’t quite make one last play in a harsh 16-15 loss to the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
“We didn’t do enough,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “But I told them that when they wake up in the morning, they have to move on.”
That’s because of a short week and a Thursday home game against another NFC West team, the Seahawks. But they could’ve gone into that game in first place, instead of seeing the 49ers (3-0) get there when Eddy Piñeiro drilled a 34-yard field goal on the game’s final play.
“It’s frustrating,” quarterback Kyler Murray said. “It felt like we let that one slip.
“We didn’t finish the job.”
That has been the common theme of this young season. The Cardinals didn’t let it hurt them the first two games. This time, it did.
A third-and-9 pass from Murray to Zay Jones fell incomplete to end a last drive – “I thought he caught the ball, and then it was incomplete,” Murray said — and cost veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell a chance to be a hero.
Campbell forced a holding call on 49ers tackle Dominick Puni with quarterback Mac Jones in the end zone with 3:15 left in the game. The safety provided a 15-13 lead.
“When you think you’ve got a game in hand you want to win,” Campbell said.
The Cardinals felt the loss beyond the standings.
Conner had just ripped off a nine-yard run to open the half, and it looked like the Cardinals were going to reestablish their ground game. But on a second-down carry, Conner tried to stay up against the flow of the tackle, and the replay was not for the squeamish.
The cart came out to take Conner off the field, not before the entire team streamed out from the sideline to let him know of their support.
Conner had been held to 22 yards rushing on nine carries before he got hurt. Now, Trey Benson – who had 42 yards on 10 carries – slides into the RB1 role.
“I don’t have a choice,” Benson said. “I’m going to do it for (James). … I feel like I’ll be prepared.”
Said Campbell, “It’s a tough one. He’s a captain and a leader. That takes the air out of you a little bit.”
49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was held in check on the ground (52 yards on 17 carries) but he had 10 catches for 88 yards and was the catalyst on the final drive.
“It something we’ve been talking about, finishing games better,” linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. said. “Today was one of those instances. We have to find a better way.”
Campbell noted that the Cardinals won’t even delve much into the video from Sunday, not with Seattle prep staring them in the face. There are things that need to get better. The 260 yards of offense was the third time the team didn’t reach 300 yards. Multiple dropped passes ended up hurting, as well as other missed opportunities.
Murray acknowledged the Cardinals missed a chance to take out a hurting 49ers team, even as the Cardinals avoided any turnovers and won that category.
“You want that win,” Campbell said. “But it just means we won’t be undefeated this season.”
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