SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Recently signed kicker Eddy Pineiro made a 35-yard field goal on the final play to give the San Francisco 49ers a 16-15 win over the Arizona Cardinals for their third straight win to open the season.
San Francisco (3-0) overcame an injury to Nick Bosa, the absence of starting quarterback Brock Purdy and a tiebreaking safety allowed with 3:15 to play to eke out the win.
Rookie Upton Stout broke up a pass to Zay Jones on third down after the safety to force a punt by Arizona (2-1) and Mac Jones then calmly led a game-winning drive.
He took over at his 20 with 1:46 to play and completed five passes for 59 yards to get the Niners in position for the game-winning kick. Pineiro, who was signed after Jake Moody missed two field goals in the opener, calmly delivered to set off a celebration.
The Cardinals had taken the lead when Calais Campbell forced a holding penalty in the end zone by Dominick Puni for the first tiebreaking safety in the fourth quarter in nearly 11 years but couldn’t close it out.
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After both teams were held to just a pair of field goals in the first three quarters, they traded 1-yard TD passes in the fourth with Jones giving San Francisco the lead with his pass to Kyle Juszczyk and Kyler Murray tying it at 13 with 8:37 to play with a TD pass to Trey McBride.
Both teams missed good chances to get in the end zone in the third quarter. Emari Demercado dropped a third down pass near the goal line, forcing Arizona to settle for a field goal that tied the game at 6.
The Niners responded and drove down the field but Christian McCaffrey got stopped for no gain on third down from the 1 and Jones pass to McCaffrey on fourth down was broken up by Mack Wilson.
Injuries
Cardinals: Running back James Conner was carted off the field in the third quarter with what looked like a significant ankle injury.
49ers: Bosa left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and didn’t return.
Up next
Cardinals: Arizona hosts Seattle on Thursday night.
49ers: San Francisco hosts Jacksonville on Sunday
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