49ers edge Cardinals in thrilling one-point victory

In a nail-biting thriller that kept Levi's Stadium on the edge of its seats until the final seconds, the San Francisco 49ers extended their perfect record to 3-0 with a narrow 16-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 of the NFL season. With Brock Purdy sidelined with a foot injury, Mac Jones stepped up and led a game-winning drive in the final minutes, capped by a 35-yard field goal by newly signed kicker Eddy Piñeiro as time expired, sealing an epic win. San Francisco amassed just 298 total yards in a grinding, defensive battle, but their defense, despite losing Nick Bosa to an early knee injury, forced key turnovers and limited Arizona to 317 yards. For the Cardinals (2-1), it was a heartbreaking loss that ended their undefeated streak: Kyler Murray shined with 21 of 32 passes for 158 yards and a TD, but a near-safety and crucial mistakes proved costly. This NFC West divisional clash reignites the rivalry, with San Francisco firmly establishing itself as the team to beat in the division.

The game was a defensive chess match: the first three quarters saw six field goals (three each) before the scoring explosion in the fourth quarter with the game's only touchdowns. Jones connected with Kyle Juszczyk for a 1-yard TD to make it 13-9, but Murray responded 2:13 later with a strike to Trey McBride to tie it at 13. A subsequent safety put SF up 15-13, but Arizona forced a key punt thanks to a breakup by rookie Upton Stout. James Conner suffered a right leg injury on a nasty play, leaving Emari Demercado with extra carries (though he dropped a key pass near the red zone). Kyle Shanahan notches his 25th home win with the 49ers, while Jonathan Gannon faces questions about his Cardinals' ability to close out games after a promising start.

Next up: SF visits LA in an undefeated matchup; Arizona hosts Detroit looking to bounce back. In the NFL, games like this—where a kicker decides the outcome—are the soul of the league. Quarter-by-quarter recap

First quarter: Kicking duel and a scare for Bosa (3-3)
San Francisco opened with a 28-yard field goal by Piñeiro after a conservative drive by Jones (5/8, 42 yards), but Nick Bosa injured his knee on a sack of Murray, exiting the game and not returning. Arizona tied it with a 31-yard FG by Chad Ryland after Kyler Murray escaped pressure for an 18-yard run. Both defenses dominated: SF with 2 sacks, Cardinals limiting the offense to 35 passing yards. Possession was even (7:15 vs. 7:45), and the atmosphere at Levi's was already tense with the undefeated record on the line.

Second quarter: More field goals, no TDs at halftime (6-6)
The chess match continued. Jones orchestrated a 45-yard drive for another Piñeiro FG (6-3), but Arizona countered with Ryland nailing a 39-yarder after a 22-yard pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. Murray added 52 passing yards in the quarter (8/12), but a Demercado drop on third down prevented a touchdown. SF led in tackles (Fred Warner with 6), while Arizona's secondary forced a punt. At halftime, yards were close (SF 112-98), but the low score screamed "division rivalry." Third Quarter: Missed Opportunities, Score Remains Tied (9-9)
Arizona smelled blood: a drive stalled at the SF 5-yard line, ending with a dropped pass by Demercado near the goal line, forcing a Ryland field goal for a 9-6 lead. Jones responded with precision, connecting with Jauan Jennings (before his ankle injury) to set up another Piñeiro field goal. Murray showed his mobility with 32 rushing yards, but the SF defense (Dee Winters with 4 tackles) held Conner to 8 carries for 21 yards. The third quarter saw a combined 68 rushing yards; the clock ticked slowly, and the score reflected the frustration of both offenses.

Fourth Quarter: Final Surge and Drama to the Final Whistle (16-15)
The climax! Jones opened with a 1-yard TD pass to Juszczyk (13-9), but Murray tied it at 8:37 with an identical pass to McBride (5 catches, 43 yards). A safety for a holding penalty on a punt put SF up 15-13, but Stout broke up a pass to Zay Jones on third down to force a punt. With 1:12 left, Jones marched 45 yards in 7 plays (3 for 3), and Piñeiro—signed that week—kicked the 35-yard game-winning field goal as time expired. Murray attempted a Hail Mary, but the SF coverage sealed the deal. Jones: 18/25, 187 yards, 1 TD; the final whistle unleashed pandemonium in Santa Clara, leaving Arizona heartbroken.