Wk 3 · 2026
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers — Sun, Sep 27
Sun, Sep 27 ·
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
· Fox FINAL
Weather
No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
at
4:05pET
SF -7.5 · total 48.5 DraftKings opened -11.5 · 4 toward ARI
Ratings differential SF by 14.9
What is at stake
An NFC West game. These two play each other twice a season, home and away, and when the NFC West finishes level it is the head-to-head result and then the division record that separate them — before any of the rest. Division standings.
What the ratings imply
The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers:
The Gridiron King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus
1.7 points of home field.
It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site
compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026
games are played it is last season’s measurement of two rosters that have
been through a draft and a free-agency window since.
Efficiency · 2026 ratings
Efficiency margin
Offense
Defense
Points / game
Points allowed / game
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The Gridiron King’s 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.
Team stats
The box-score store these rows are built from has not been produced for this league yet, so no preview carries points and yards for and against. The form, trend and series blocks below are built from this site’s own files and are not affected.
Cardinals form
L 21-45vs DETL 24-36at NYGL 30-36at SFL 7-31vs SEAW 26-14at LAC
2026 season
49ers form
W 32-29at SEAW 24-14vs DENW 36-30vs ARIW 35-13vs MIAW 27-7at LAR
2026 season
Cardinals this season
Straight up1-4 · 20% (5 games)
Against the spread2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Over / under3-2 · 60% (5 games)
49ers this season
Straight up5-0 · 100% (5 games)
Against the spread4-1 · 80% (5 games)
Over / under3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.
Common opponents · 10
| Opponent | Cardinals | 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| Chargers AFC | at W 26-14 preview | at Wk 15 · scheduled preview |
| Seahawks NFC | vs L 7-31 preview | at W 32-29 preview |
| Giants NFC | at L 24-36 preview | at Wk 13 · scheduled preview |
| Rams NFC | at Wk 6 · scheduled preview | N W 27-7 preview |
| Broncos AFC | vs Wk 7 · scheduled preview | vs W 24-14 preview |
| Cowboys NFC | at Wk 8 · scheduled preview | at Wk 10 · scheduled preview |
| Chiefs AFC | at Wk 11 · scheduled preview | at Wk 16 · scheduled preview |
| Commanders NFC | vs Wk 12 · scheduled preview | vs Wk 6 · scheduled preview |
| Eagles NFC | vs Wk 13 · scheduled preview | vs Wk 17 · scheduled preview |
| Raiders AFC | vs Wk 17 · scheduled preview | vs Wk 9 · scheduled preview |
Open these two in the
comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.
Series history · 2006–2026
Since 2006, 49ers leads 22–19 · 49ers has won the last 3
41 meetings
in 2006–2026 · average margin
2.7 points toward 49ers
| Yr | Date | Result | Site | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2026-09-27 | Cardinals 30 — 36 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2025 | 2025-11-16 | 49ers 41 — 22 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2025 | 2025-09-21 | Cardinals 15 — 16 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2024 | 2025-01-05 | 49ers 24 — 47 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2024 | 2024-10-06 | Cardinals 24 — 23 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2023 | 2023-12-17 | 49ers 45 — 29 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2023 | 2023-10-01 | Cardinals 16 — 35 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2022 | 2023-01-08 | Cardinals 13 — 38 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2022 | 2022-11-21 | 49ers 38 — 10 Cardinals | neutral | 49ers |
| 2021 | 2021-11-07 | Cardinals 31 — 17 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2021 | 2021-10-10 | 49ers 10 — 17 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2020 | 2020-12-26 | 49ers 20 — 12 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2020 | 2020-09-13 | Cardinals 24 — 20 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2019 | 2019-11-17 | Cardinals 26 — 36 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2019 | 2019-10-31 | 49ers 28 — 25 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2018 | 2018-10-28 | 49ers 15 — 18 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2018 | 2018-10-07 | Cardinals 28 — 18 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2017 | 2017-11-05 | Cardinals 20 — 10 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2017 | 2017-10-01 | 49ers 15 — 18 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2016 | 2016-11-13 | 49ers 20 — 23 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2016 | 2016-10-06 | Cardinals 33 — 21 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2015 | 2015-11-29 | Cardinals 19 — 13 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2015 | 2015-09-27 | 49ers 7 — 47 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2014 | 2014-12-28 | Cardinals 17 — 20 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2014 | 2014-09-21 | 49ers 14 — 23 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2013 | 2013-12-29 | 49ers 23 — 20 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2013 | 2013-10-13 | Cardinals 20 — 32 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2012 | 2012-12-30 | Cardinals 13 — 27 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2012 | 2012-10-29 | 49ers 24 — 3 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2011 | 2011-12-11 | 49ers 19 — 21 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2011 | 2011-11-20 | Cardinals 7 — 23 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2010 | 2011-01-02 | Cardinals 7 — 38 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2010 | 2010-11-29 | 49ers 27 — 6 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2009 | 2009-12-14 | Cardinals 9 — 24 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2009 | 2009-09-13 | 49ers 20 — 16 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2008 | 2008-11-10 | 49ers 24 — 29 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
| 2008 | 2008-09-07 | Cardinals 23 — 13 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2007 | 2007-11-25 | 49ers 37 — 31 Cardinals | at ARI | 49ers |
| 2007 | 2007-09-10 | Cardinals 17 — 20 49ers | at SF | 49ers |
| 2006 | 2006-12-24 | Cardinals 26 — 20 49ers | at SF | Cardinals |
| 2006 | 2006-09-10 | 49ers 27 — 34 Cardinals | at ARI | Cardinals |
Cardinals leaders 2026 regular season
| Passing | Jacoby Brissett QB #7 | 103/152, 818 YDS, 6 TD, 4 INT |
| Rushing | Jeremiyah Love RB #4 | 55 CAR, 223 YDS, 1 TD |
| Tyler Allgeier RB #22 | 32 CAR, 112 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Jacoby Brissett QB #7 | 15 CAR, 43 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Michael Wilson WR #14 | 25 REC, 258 YDS, 1 TD |
| Trey McBride TE #85 | 33 REC, 242 YDS, 2 TD | |
| Kendrick Bourne WR #17 | 12 REC, 108 YDS | |
| Marvin Harrison Jr. WR #18 | 5 REC, 85 YDS, 1 TD |
Defense
| Tackles | Jack Gibbens LB #50 | 32 |
| Mack Wilson Sr. LB #1 | 28 | |
| Budda Baker S #3 | 25 | |
| Sacks | Budda Baker S #3 | 1.5 |
| Josh Sweat LB #10 | 1 | |
| Zaven Collins LB #25 | 1 | |
| Interceptions | Budda Baker S #3 | 1 |
| Andrew Wingard S #27 | 1 | |
| Denzel Burke CB #29 | 1 |
49ers leaders 2026 regular season
| Passing | Brock Purdy QB #13 | 79/113, 1007 YDS, 11 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Christian McCaffrey RB #23 | 50 CAR, 218 YDS, 4 TD |
| Brock Purdy QB #13 | 20 CAR, 122 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Kaelon Black RB #26 | 31 CAR, 120 YDS | |
| Receiving | George Kittle TE #85 | 16 REC, 244 YDS, 4 TD |
| Mike Evans WR #5 | 17 REC, 213 YDS, 2 TD | |
| Deebo Samuel Sr. WR #19 | 14 REC, 185 YDS, 3 TD | |
| Christian McCaffrey RB #23 | 16 REC, 122 YDS |
Defense
| Tackles | Fred Warner LB #54 | 40 |
| Dre Greenlaw LB #57 | 34 | |
| Ji'Ayir Brown S #27 | 28 | |
| Sacks | Keion White DE #56 | 2 |
| Ogbo Okoronkwo LB #59 | 1 | |
| Romello Height DE #94 | 1 | |
| Interceptions | Renardo Green CB #0 | 1 |
These are regular-season totals for
the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year,
taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's
roster, so a leader who has since signed elsewhere, been traded or retired still
appears against the year he earned it; the
roster
pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is.
A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game.