Looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season in Week 10, the San Francisco 49ers will have to do so against the rival Arizona Cardinals without some of their top talent. Their battle with the Seattle Seahawks on "Monday Night Football" was hands-down one of the best contests of the 2019 season, but the loss they felt wasn't just on the scoreboard.
Emmanuel Sanders, the recently acquired Pro Bowl wide receiver, was knocked out of the game with a rib injury after delivering a fast start, but the 49ers received good news from his MRI and he was labeled as day-to-day to start the week. Although listed as questionable on the team's final injury report, he will reportedly take the field against the Cardinals -- per Adam Schefter of ESPN -- but that's where the positive news comes to a screeching halt in San Francisco.
The team will again be without superstar tight end George Kittle, who continues to battle a knee and ankle injury, and will now also take the field without starting running back Matt Breida -- who suffered an ankle injury against the Seahawks and did not participate in any of the three practices this week. Originally listed as doubtful, he too will be sidelined on Sunday, marking the first game he's missed this season.
Breida leads the 49ers in rushing with 542 yards and has another 110 yards receiving, and his absence will require compatriots Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert to step in and carry more of the load. That is, of course, assuming Mostert plays, after being listed as questionable this week with a knee injury.
But wait, there's more.
Lost for the season during the clash with Seattle was defensive end Ronald Blair, who landed on injured reserve this week with a torn ACL, and fellow defensive lineman D.J. Jones was ruled out against the Cardinals due to a groin ailment. That will also leave voids to be filled on the Niners stellar defensive unit, and the offense will suffer an additional blow by seeing Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Staley sidelined this Sunday as well with a broken finger that occurred on MNF that required surgery to repair, adding to a list of star players Cardinals won't have to contend with in their 2019 rematch with the Niners.
Things went down to the wire when the two met in Week 9, with Kyle Shanahan edging Kliff Kingsbury in a thrilling 28-25 victory for San Francisco, but the level of difficulty to land the season sweep has just increased substantially.
