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For the Arizona Cardinals, the first response by many about the 49ers trade for Jimmy Garoppolo was, will he start on Sunday?
After Garoppolo was introduced to the media in San Francisco on Tuesday, it seems unlikely the young quarterback will get another chance to face the Cardinals, of course he led the New England Patriots to a win over the Cardinals on opening night 2016.
The Cardinals, instead, will get to prepare for C.J. Beathard, as Niners Nation explains:
In response to issue one, Kyle Shanahan said the plan is to take things week-to-week. He said it is unlikely Garoppolo would play this week, but they’ll address it each week until everybody is comfortable with the situation.
It makes sense for the 49ers. They are almost mathematically eliminated from the NFC playoffs and a realistically eliminated from the NFC playoffs, so why rush their new quarterback? Why not slow play it and get him as ready as possible for game one with the team?
That means for the Arizona Cardinals, they get one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL in their matchup with the 49ers.
Beathard hasn’t been a turnover machine, he only has thrown three interceptions compared to just two touchdowns, but he has been really bad in terms of getting the ball down the field. He is averaging just 5.9 yards per attempt and is completing just 52.7% of his passes thus far.
In fact, after coming in in relief of Brian Hoyer, Beathard re-energized the 49ers and got them close in a game against the Washington Redskins. Then, in two starts, the 49ers were completely blown out and Beathard looked awful, as Dallas and Philadelphia beat the 49ers by a combined 73-20.
The Cardinals have had three quarters of great football and then a lot of just flashes of okay and really bad.
They get a reeling 49ers team who doesn’t seem like they have responded to Beathard and don’t get their new quarterback this week.
This is not just a must win for the Arizona Cardinals, but it will be a litmus test to see where they are mentally with things having gone as bad as they possibly could have for them this season.