Cardinals’ 49ers Loss Extends Alarming NFC West Streak

The Arizona Cardinals ' performance against the NFC West has gotten historically bad following their most recent loss.

Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers gives the Cardinals eight straight losses against their NFC West rivals going back to the beginning of the 2025 season. Their record against the NFC West since the start of the 2022 season is a paltry 4-22.

Throughout most of the 2020s, the Cardinals have been the only weak link in the division. Arizona last made the playoffs in 2021, but lost spectacularly to the Los Angeles Rams . They have zero NFC West titles in that timeframe, with their last one coming in 2015.

The Rams and Seattle Seahawks have each won Super Bowls this decade. The 49ers earned a trip to the big game in 2023.

Cardinals Are In Danger Of Embracing The Same Old Script In 2026

Both of Arizona's losses in 2026 have come against divisional opponents, and they offered little resistance. It started with a blowout loss to the Seahawks in Week 2 following an unexpected 1-0 start to the season.

On Sunday, the Cardinals found themselves down 23-6 at one point. While quarterback Jacoby Brissett and Co. got back into the game, the Cardinals never managed to tie or take the lead.

With the Rams appearing to be back on form following a blowout loss in Week 1 to San Francisco , things could get uglier for the Cardinals. What's worse is that the Cardinals seem to have no real identity following the first three weeks of 2026.

Arizona's passing game is inconsistent despite talent in its pass-catching unit. The running game has also struggled through the first three weeks, with first-round pick Jeremiyah Love finally injecting some life into the unit in Sunday's loss when he rushed for 90 yards on 21 carries. Even so, there are still more questions than answers in the Cardinals' backfield.

The Cardinals have also allowed 67 points over their past two contests. Following a game in which 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 297 yards on just 15 completions , the defense is also showing that it's struggling to stop opponents through the air.

Cardinals Have Enough Talent To Flip The Script

While the Cardinals don't look like playoff contenders at this point, it's not like they're devoid of talent. If Love can enjoy repeat performances, opponents will need to start keying on him. That could open up more opportunities for pass catchers beyond Michael Wilson and Trey McBride .

Marvin Harrison Jr. finally showed flashes in Sunday's loss, notching three catches on five targets for 40 yards. Harrison also hauled in Brissett's longest completion of the day, for 19 yards. Should Harrison build on his improved Sunday performance, he could finally turn into another viable target for Brissett.

But questions remain all over the place on the defensive side of the ball. Through three games, the Cardinals have notched just four sacks. They have also progressively allowed more total yards by the week, bottoming out at 437 against the 49ers. If the Cardinals want to stop this historically bad skid against the NFC West, they must dramatically improve on both sides of the ball.