49ers Seek Defensive Answers as Purdy's Return Remains Uncertain

As of November 11th, 2025, the San Francisco 49ers are facing a number of challenges as they prepare to take on the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday. Over the past three weeks, the 49ers' opponents have opened the game with scoring drives of 16, 10, and 10 plays, setting the tone early and making it difficult for the 49ers to mount a comeback.

Despite the team's struggles, running back Christian McCaffrey is on pace to become the NFL's first 1,000/1,000 player since he accomplished the feat in 2019. At his current pace, McCaffrey would finish the season with 1,064 rushing yards and 1,176 receiving yards. However, his 12 rushing attempts against the Los Angeles Rams were his second-fewest of the season, indicating the 49ers may need to find ways to get him more involved.

On the injury front, the 49ers are cautiously optimistic about the return of receiver Ricky Pearsall, who has been sidelined for the past seven weeks with a knee injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Pearsall is on track to return to practice this week, but the team wants to ensure he is fully healthy before activating him. Meanwhile, the status of Brandon Aiyuk remains unclear, as the 49ers have decided not to open his practice window this week.

As the 49ers look to bounce back from their recent setbacks, the focus will be on finding ways to start games stronger and shore up their defensive performance. With the Cardinals on the schedule, the 49ers will need to find answers quickly if they hope to keep pace in the competitive NFC West division.