SANTA CLARA – Losses and injuries continue to appear in great abundance for the 49ers this season.
The 49ers on Sunday remained winless with a 20-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals while also taking on another handful of injuries to their depleted game-day roster.
All Things Red and Gold: San Francisco 49ers 2017-2018 Season Highlights
The 49ers lost five more players due to injuries in the first half: Fullback Kyle Juszczyk (neck), safety Jaquiski Tartt (wrist), wide receiver Trent Taylor (ribs), tight end Cole Hikutini (knee) and special-teams player Elijah Lee (knee).
Moreover, six of the 49ers’ seven inactive players were not available for the game due to injuries: offensive linemen Joe Staley (eye) and Garry Gilliam (knee), defensive linemen Solomon Thomas (knee), Aaron Lynch (calf) and D.J.. Jones (knee), and defensive back K’Waun Williams (quadricep). The 49ers also placed wide receiver Pierre Garçon on injured reserve Saturday with a neck injury.
The losses in the standings are piling up, too. The 49ers last week became the first club in franchise history to start with eight consecutive losses to open the season.
Now 0-9, the 49ers own the NFL’s worst record because the Cleveland Browns (0-8) were on their bye week.
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Juszczyk gift-wrapped the Cardinals their first points of the game in the first quarter.
While struggling for extra yards at the end of a 5-yard reception, Juszczyk was stripped by Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu. Patrick Peterson scooped it up and returned it 47 yards.
Three plays later, the Cardinals scored on Drew Stanton’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown between 49ers linebacker Brock Coyle and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.
The Cardinals increased their lead to 14-3 in the second quarter when tight end Jermaine Gresham got inside position against Witherspoon to catch an 11-yard touchdown pass from Stanton in the second quarter.
The 49ers pulled to within four points on C.J. Beathard’s 1-yard run to cap a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter
QUARTERBACK WATCH
Newly acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo warmed up intermittently on the 49ers’ sideline during the game but never got into action. But there were many close calls along the way.
Beathard was under pressure throughout the game behind the 49ers’ makeshift offensive line that consisted of Trent Brown at left tackle and undrafted rookie Erik Magnuson at right tackle.
Beathard was sacked five times and absorbed 16 hits from the Cardinals pass rush.
Beathard completed 24 of 51 pass attempts for 294 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. His passer rating was 57.1.
Running back Carlos Hyde was the 49ers’ leading pass-catcher with nine receptions for 84 yards. He added 41 yards rushing on 12 carries.
FIGHT AND EJECTIONS
Hyde was ejected, along with two Cardinals defensive players, after a fight erupted when Cardinals safety Antoine Bethea was called for a personal foul for a high hit on a sliding Beathard.
Arizona linebacker Haason Reddick and defensive lineman Frostee Rucker were ejected for their actions during the scuffle.
THIS ‘N’ THAT
--On Tuesday, the 49ers traded Rashard Robinson, who started the first seven games before Witherspoon replaced him. The Cardinals on Sunday did not waste any time before going after Witherspoon. Stanton hit John Brown on a double-move for a 52- yard reception on the Cardinals’ first play of the game.
--Undrafted rookie Kendrick Bourne hauled in his first career reception – a 25-yard catch in the third quarter.
--Eric Reid, who moved back to safety after a couple of weeks at linebacker, recorded an interception in the end zone in the second quarter. It was Reid’s first interception this season and the ninth in his five-year career.
--New defensive tackle Tony McDaniel was credited with fumble recovery after Earl Mitchell forced an Adrian Peterson fumble late in the fourth quarter. Peterson finished with 159 yards on a career-high 37 rushing attempts.
