49ers vs. Cardinals – Game Report – November 21, 2022

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Jimmy Garoppolo threw for four touchdown passes, including two to Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, as the San Francisco 49ers earned their fourth straight victory by beating the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 on Monday night in Mexico City.
It was the fifth NFL regular-season game in Mexico City and the first since 2019. Technically the Cardinals played at home, but the boisterous and festive crowd strongly favored the 49ers, whooping especially loud when Kittle and Deebo Samuel they each scored touchdowns on passes of 39 yards.
San Francisco (6-4) has won five of its last seven meetings and is tied with the Seahawks for the top spot in the NFC West. Garoppolo had another efficient performance in which he completed 20 of 29 passes for 228 yards.
The game was close through the first two quarters, but the 49ers widened the gap in the second half to take a 24-10 lead early in the third quarter. Samuel entered the field and ran for 39 yards, weaving through the Cardinals’ defense on his way to the end zone.
The Cardinals (4-7) entered their second straight game without Pro Bowl quarterback Kyle Murray, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Backup Colt McCoy is 3-1 as a starter the past two seasons — including last week’s win against the Rams — but he couldn’t recreate the magic in Mexico.
McCoy completed 24 of 34 passes for 218 yards and one interception. The 49ers hit him hard multiple times and he was sacked three times.
The great Estadio Azteca—home to Mexico’s top soccer teams—sits at an altitude of over 7,200 feet (2,100 meters), which is higher than both San Francisco and Phoenix. The 49ers opted to train at altitude this week in Colorado and the Cardinals opted to train at their home in Tempe, Arizona.