Cardinals’ Week 3 loss to 49ers only fuels bigger questions about Arizona’s 2025 identity after an anemic showing on offense

The Cardinals posted 260 yards of offense in Week 3 against the 49ers. There's not necessarily any true shame in that figure given that they were going against a San Francisco unit that had not given up more than 307 yards in either of their first two games this season. But the Cardinals have yet to crack 300 yards of offense in any of their first three games on the season on their own — and one of the team's most consistent performers in recent years now appears to be in line to miss time.

Running back James Conner went down against San Francisco with a scary looking lower body injury. He was carted off the field on Sunday with what is being described as an ankle injury. The early reports indicate that Conner could miss the season. But even when Conner was on the field through the first two weeks of the season, he wasn't performing to his prior standard. The run game has been the key engine for the Cardinals through the first two years of the Jonathan Gannon era, but things haven't looked consistent the last two weeks after posting 146 rushing yards against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1.

The rest of the pass catching group behind wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride offered little certainty entering this season as far as legitimate options versus ancillary weapons. No wide receiver not named Harrison Jr. has more than four receptions through three games. Zay Jones is second on the team among wide receivers in receiving yards — he has 29 through three games. 25 of them came against San Francisco.

In all the Cardinals offense has felt like a slog thus far. They now rank 16th in yards per carry in 2025 (4.3 yards per carry) and 24th in yards per pass attempt (6.0 yards per attempt). Just 18.5% of the Cardinals' offensive possessions this season have ended in touchdowns, which ranks 25th in the league. All of this while playing a Saints team that conceded 38 points at halftime to Seattle in Week 3 and a Panthers defense that gave up 200 rushing yards to Jacksonville in Week 1. The big question is what answers Arizona can turn to in order to free things up.

The Cardinals must hope that young running back Trey Benson is ready in Year 2. They must also hope the light bulb comes on for Harrison Jr. — who has been frustrating despite being the only real perimeter threat in the offense. Drew Petzing's unit must be better, and fast. That Seattle team that's coming to town? They rank 3rd in yards per carry allowed so far in 2025, 3rd in red zone defense, and 8th in defensive EPA so far in 2025.

The 49ers deserve their flowers for bottling up Arizona in Week 3. But the Cardinals themselves must take a brief moment amid the rush to prep for Thursday night to look in the mirror and ask themselves who they want to be offensively in 2025. Because the early results haven't been up to the prior standard, let alone raising the ceiling for this team in 2025.

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