The San Francisco 49ers secured their third-straight win of the season, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 36-30 at Levi'sÂź Stadium in Week 3. San Francisco improved to 3-0 on the year and picked up its second NFC West win of the 2026 season.
The 49ers built an early lead, and when the matchup came down to the fourth quarter, San Francisco made the plays it needed to close out the win.
Here are six takeaways from the 49ers Week 3 victory over the Cardinals:
1. George Kittle Delivers Twice on Bobblehead Day
Tight end George Kittle came through when the 49ers needed him most in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns on a day where 80,000 Kittle bobbleheads were in hands of the Faithful at Levi'sÂź Stadium.
After Arizona cut San Francisco's lead to 23-20 early in the fourth quarter, the 49ers answered. Quarterback Brock Purdy found Kittle over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown to push the lead. Arizona responded again, pulling within two points with under two minutes remaining, but Kittle wasn't finished. On the following drive, he brought in a 20-yard touchdown from Purdy with a minute left to give San Francisco a 36-27 lead.
Kittle finished the afternoon with six receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
2. 49ers Get Tricky to Start the Day
The 49ers struck first in Week 3 with some trickery on offense. Purdy connected with wide receiver Mike Evans on a short pass to the left before Evans flipped the ball to Deebo Samuel Sr. on a hook-and-ladder. Samuel Sr. took the ball and raced 80 yards down the sideline for the touchdown, helped by a key block from tight end Luke Farrell. The score gave San Francisco an early 7-0 lead and marked the 50th scrimmage touchdown of Samuel Sr.'s career, who officially finished with a rare stat line having zero receptions, but 80 receiving yards from the lateral play.
3. 49ers Step Up Across the Roster
With several players sidelined entering Week 3, the 49ers called on different faces across the roster. Defensive linemen Sebastian Valdez, Kevin Givens, and Viliami Fehoko Jr. were among those called upon, along with wide receiver Jordan Watkins, who made an early impact on offense.
Watkins hauled in his first regular season reception for a 26-yard gain and a first down in the opening quarter. With under 20 seconds remaining in the first half, Purdy went back to Watkins for a 34-yard ball that moved San Francisco into Arizona territory. The play set up kicker Eddy Piñeiro for a season-long 57-yard field goal to send the 49ers into halftime with a 17-6 lead.
"All those guys worked their butts off all week," Shanahan said after the game. "I was really pumped for Watkins. That was such a big seam route that he ran on third down."
4. Purdy and the Offensive Line Keep Rolling
Purdy and the 49ers offense continued their strong start to the season against Arizona. The quarterback completed 15-of-27 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with Samuel Sr., Evans, and Kittle twice for scores.
San Francisco's offensive line kept its early-season streak intact, not allowing a sack for the third-straight game. Purdy entered Week 3 as the only qualified quarterback who had yet to take a sack this season and, once again, finished the afternoon without being brought down.
5. 49ers Defense Battles Through Heavy Workload
The 49ers defense faced a heavy workload on Sunday, taking on 81 Arizona offensive plays while working through several injuries. San Francisco held the Cardinals to two field goals in the first half before Arizona found the end zone in the third quarter.
The linebacker group stepped up with Fred Warner leading the team with 17 combined tackles, including a tackle for loss. Cornerback Renardo Green added 13 combined tackles. Defensive linemen Ogbo Okoronkwo and Keion White each recorded a sack.
6. Fourth Quarter Battle
What began as a 17-point 49ers lead turned into a back-and-forth fourth quarter at Levi'sÂź Stadium. Arizona cut San Francisco's lead to 29-27 with 2:51 remaining, setting up a crucial response from the 49ers offense. Running back Christian McCaffrey picked up 23 yards on the next 49ers drive before Purdy connected with Kittle for a 20-yard touchdown to extend the lead.
The Cardinals added a field goal with 39 seconds remaining, but Deebo Samuel Sr. secured the onside kick to help seal the 36-30 win.
Up Next
The 49ers remain at Levi'sÂź Stadium in Week 4 to close out their three-game homestand against the Denver Broncos. Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m. PT on Sunday, October 4.
