Chandler Catanzaro’s third field goal of the day provided the winning points on the final play as the Cardinals survived the 49ers Sunday, 23-20.
Colin Kaepernick’s touchdown run tied the game with 1:55 left. The Cardinals then drove 69 yards in 12 plays to set up the winning kick, a 34-yarder.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was responsible for three turnovers in the second half, two interceptions and a lost fumble. The Cardinals led 14-0 early in the second quarter and played most of the rest of the way like the game was already over.
Palmer was sharp on the final drive, starting with a 26-yard pass to Michael Floyd that deflated the 49ers. Kaepernick and the 49ers started slowly but kept hanging around and are kicking themselves now for not doing more with the turnovers they forced in the second half.
Cardinals running back David Johnson caught a touchdown pass and ran for one early, but the Cardinals never established the run against the league’s worst run defense. Johnson only had 10 carries in the first three quarters and finished with 55 yards on 19 carries. Johnson ran for 157 yards in the first meeting between the teams this season.
Johnson caught a key pass on the final drive and finished with five catches for 46 yards. Palmer threw for 376 yards; Larry Fitzgerald caught 12 passes for 133 yards.
The 49ers lost their eighth straight game and are 1-8. After escaping what would have been a crushing upset, the Cardinals improve to 4-4-1.