Happy Thursday! We’re almost to the weekend!

I’ll get to the Cardinals below, but first, mad props to our PHNX Wildcats crew, who came to you live yesterday from Arizona men’s basketball media day at McKale Center. Hear from Koa Peat, Tobe Awaka and more, as they joined the show to chat about the upcoming season.

Damon and Kevin covered so much ground — it’s must see TV! Make sure you check it out.

On to the show!

Cardinals Clash With 49ers in Week 3 Division Matchup

The Arizona Cardinals have an opportunity to get the upper-hand over a division foe, and honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Cards head to San Francisco to take on the already-banged-up 49ers, and it’ll be a battle of unbeatens, as both teams enter the game 2-0 in what’s looking like yet another wide open year in the NFC West.

San Francisco already has a division win under its belt following a 17-13 Week 1 win over the Seahawks, and it followed that up with a 26-21 win over the Saints last week. Perhaps most impressive, the 49ers beat New Orleans without quarterback Brock Purdy, who injured his toe and shoulder against Seattle.

Word around town is that Purdy has a chance to play on Sunday — but that’s anything but definite.

That’ll be a big factor in how things go this weekend, no doubt about it.

3 Cardinals Storylines to Watch Against San Francisco

Game Info:
Cardinals (2-0) at 49ers (2-0)
1:25 pm, FOX
bet365 odds: 49ers -2.5

• Capitalize on the quarterback uncertainty

Credit Mac Jones, who threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns last week, so even if Purdy is out this is anything but a cakewalk considering the Cardinals rank near the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed per game (255.5). However, their bend-don’t-break style to this point has kept them as a top-10 team in terms of points allowed per game (17.5).

San Francisco has averaged 364 yards of offense in its first two games, and 266 of those have come through the air. Divisional games are always a tough out, so the defense needs to have Jones or Purdy feel the pressure early and often.

• CMC can’t become the X-factor

Running back Christian McCaffrey hasn’t exactly been the dominant force we’ve seen in recent years — he’s averaging just 62 yards per game on the ground — but he sure has been stellar in the passing game. Through two games this season CMC has 15 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown, highlighting his versatility and impact.

Most importantly for the 49ers, though, is that he’s healthy.

The oft-injured back has the potential to break the game wide open, so Arizona’s defense must avoid the big play.

• Play a full 60 minutes

Not only is this obviously a cliché, it’s also stating the obvious. It doesn’t make it any less true! The Cardinals have let two games nearly slip away despite opening up leads early, so second half adjustments will be critical to coming away with a divisional win.

Arizona managed just three second-half points against New Orleans in its Week 1 win, and was outscored 19-7 in the second half last week against the Panthers. San Francisco has too many playmakers, and too much experience, to falter if it regains momentum late in the game. Coach Jonathan Gannon and his staff will need to make appropriate second-half adjustments to avoid a late-game collapse.

My Take: It won’t be easy by any means, but I honestly do believe the Cardinals are in a position to win a meaningful road game and get off to a 3-0 start on the season. Start strong and don’t just hold on at the end, and the rest of the league will undoubtedly begin to take note on this unsung team in the desert.

Giant Letdown: Brandon Pfaadt pitched a gem of a game against the Giants yesterday, but Justin Verlander matched him en route to a 5-1 loss in 11 innings. Pfaadt allowed just one hit and no runs while striking out seven in nine innings, but unfortunately the Giants’ pitching was also up to the task.

Arizona had a runner on third with one out in both the ninth and 10th innings, but was unable to capitalize and get them home.

Good news / bad news here: The Mets lost, which keeps Arizona 1.5 games behind them for the final playoff spot. Cincinnati and San Francisco are both a half game behind the D-backs.

Arizona now kicks off a three-game home set tomorrow against the 91-win Phillies, who have already clinched a postseason spot. Should be an exciting weekend of baseball at Chase Field.

Back to AZ: The Mercury outscored the New York Liberty 26-12 in the second quarter en route to a route, topping the New York Liberty 86-60 in a must-win Game 2. Alyssa Thomas recorded 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper both contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The series now shifts back to PHX Arena for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday, and though the game time has not yet been announced it will be broadcast on ESPN2. For what it’s worth, the Mercury opened up as 2.5 point favorites.

When Stephen breaks it down, you should always listen.