49ers quarterback Brock Purdy gave the team a scare in the second quarter of Sunday’s game in Arizona, but he was back to his old tricks a short time later.
Purdy went for a check in the sideline medical tent and missed three offensive snaps before returning to action. He completed passes to Deebo Samuel and George Kittle to move the Niners inside the 10-yard-line and then hit running back Christian McCaffrey for a five-yard touchdown.
It was Purdy’s second touchdown pass of the day and it stretched the 49ers’ lead to 21-13 after the two-minute warning. It looked like the Cardinals might have a chance to tie the score when they recovered a fumble by 49ers punt returner Ronnie Bell and returned it for a touchdown, but replays showed that Bell was down before the ball came out.
McCaffrey took a shot to his knee while trying to hurdle a tackler on a run in the second quarter and he’s gotten attention from trainers on the bench, but he has looked fine when he’s been on the field.
Kyler Murray drove the Cardinals for a touchdown to open the game, but was picked off by cornerback Charvarius Ward on a fourth down pass and Ward took the ball 66 yards for a touchdown. That’s the only turnover of the game and it looms large with the 49ers set to get the ball back with a chance to extend their lead even further to start the second half.
