To win games this season, the 49ers needed everything to align correctly. They needed career seasons from veterans, breakout games by rookies and few critical injuries.
Now winless after eight games and facing the Arizona Cardinals Sunday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers have had none of those good things happen. In fact, the 49ers have been hammered by injuries. Through last Sunday’s loss against the Eagles, the Niners had lost 16 players to injured reserve, handcuffing a team that had little quality depth to begin with.
And, the hammer keeps falling.
On Thursday, the team announced that leading wide receiver Pierre Garcon – one of the team’s top free-agent signings this offseason – has been lost for the remainder of the season. Garcon, 31, suffered a broken bone in his neck in Philadelphia and has been placed on injured reserve.
Garcon had 40 catches for 500 yards. According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Aldrick Robinson will likely move into Garcon’s spot in the starting lineup.
“For every step going forward, we seem to be taking another one as we’re going back,” said 49ers general manager John Lynch in a radio interview on KNBR. “That was a crushing blow and we’re figuring out what we’re going to do on that.”
The 49ers took multiple hits in the game against the Eagles, also losing safety Jimmie Ward with a broken arm, offensive tackles Garry Gilliam (knee) and Joe Staley (eye) and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (knee). Ward and Gilliam also were placed on injured reserve. Staley and Thomas are expected to return but will miss some games.
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Other notable 49ers on injured reserve include defensive linemen Arik Armstead, Tank Carradine and Ronald Blair, guard Joshua Garnett and linebacker Malcolm Smith.
Kickoff for Sunday’s game against the 3-4 Cardinals is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Oddsmakers have listed the Cardinals as 2½-point favorites.
